MotoGP returns to Brazil at the Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia on March 20–22, with World Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM) and local rookie Diogo Moreira under the spotlight. The 22-rider field includes Moreira, who scored points on his MotoGP debut in Thailand and arrives for LCR-Honda.

Acosta heads to Goiânia as championship leader for the first time after a controversial Tissot Sprint win and a Sunday podium in Thailand. The Goiânia layout is new to every rider: 3.835 km with 12 turns, a straight of more than one kilometer and the championship’s second-shortest circuit after the Sachsenring.

Dorna, the government of Goiás and Brasil Motorsport have signed an agreement to keep the championship at Goiânia through 2030 and oversaw upgrades to the pits, track surface, control tower, medical center, spectator areas, run-off zones and selective track widening. The venue last hosted world championship races in 1989, having staged Grands Prix from 1987–1989.

Teams say they will need to adapt quickly to the unfamiliar circuit and conditions after the Buriram opener reshuffled the pecking order. Aprilia arrived strongly with Luca Bezzecchi taking pole, setting a lap record and winning on Sunday, and Bezzecchi, Raul Fernández, Jorge Martín and Ai Ogura occupy second through fifth in the standings. Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo) suffered a rear-tire puncture in Buriram and sits 23 points behind Acosta; Ducati more broadly had a mixed start, with Fabio Di Giannantonio leading Ducati’s classification. With momentum carrying over from Thailand, the Brazilian round could be a chaotic follow-up to Buriram and an early test of teams’ adaptability across the grid.

MotoGP, in coordination with the FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme), the promoter and Qatari authorities, has postponed the Qatar Grand Prix from its original April slot and rescheduled the Lusail round for Nov 8. MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said the move was made with “great care,” with rider and public safety and wellbeing the priority. The Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and Lusail International Circuit backed staging the race during the Nov 6–8 weekend, FIM president Jorge Viegas voiced support, and ticket holders will be able to transfer or roll over their tickets to the new date.

The rescheduling followed a recent escalation of regional hostilities, including reported Iranian drone strikes on Hamad International Airport and other buildings in Doha, which prompted several weeks of contingency planning and a review of the April dates. Organizers explored alternatives, including moving the race to early December or relocating the round, but concluded a December slot was impractical because F1 is scheduled to race at Lusail on Nov 27–29 and the tight turnaround, plus significant curb and gravel-trap work needed for F1, would not allow adequate time for circuit modifications.

As part of the late-season reshuffle, the Portuguese Grand Prix in Portimão was moved to Nov 22 and the season finale in Valencia to Nov 29; MotoGP said all other 2026 rounds remain unchanged. MotoGP and partners said the calendar adjustments aim to preserve the integrity and quality of the championship while responding to regional security concerns.

MotoGP’s 2027 regulatory overhaul, centered on a shift from 1000cc to 850cc machines, is being presented as a safety-driven reset that could nonetheless preserve or even improve lap times while reshaping competitiveness across the grid. Organizers and riders have said the aim is to curb extreme top-speed runs, which had approached roughly 360 km/h, to ease pressure on limited run-off areas.

Reigning champion Marc Márquez welcomed the displacement cut and predicted the smaller, lighter, less powerful bikes “could be similar, or even faster” on lap time, saying improved corner efficiency and greater maneuverability should offset slower straight-line speed. He described 2027 as a “season of continuous evolution” and warned adaptation would be uneven, noting “no one can guarantee they will have the best bike or adapt fastest.”

The 2027 package pairs engine downsizing with broad technical and commercial measures: tighter aerodynamic limits and bans on ride-height and other aero/ride aids (including the holeshot device), a ban or heavy restriction on prototype aero devices, and a mandated switch from Michelin to Pirelli as sole tyre supplier. Manufacturers have begun development and limited running: Honda released footage of its 850cc prototype after Takaaki Nakagami ran it at Sepang and called the bike “super light” and said he was “a bit surprised,” KTM and Yamaha have shown or run machines privately, and Ducati and Aprilia are targeting spring debuts. Teams say the rule change will alter the balance between electronics, mechanical aids and rider input and could reward manufacturers that invest heavily and start testing early; Honda technical director Romano Albesiano said the company believes it could hold an advantage thanks to development resources, pointed to mid-season Brno and Spielberg tests as opportunities to build strong setups, and warned the new bikes will “definitely pitch more” and be more challenging to ride. Taken together, the technical, safety and tyre measures are being framed as a strategic reset that ends the 1000cc era after 2026 and creates a competitive window in which setup work, early testing and rider adaptation are likely to determine who benefits most from the new 850cc regulations.

VR46 was close to re-signing with Ducati for the 2027 season despite exploratory interest from Aprilia. At a recent presentation in Rome, team principal Alessio “Uccio” Salucci said, “I never considered leaving Ducati,” and described talks with Aprilia as cordial. Aprilia’s outreach over the winter was led by CEO Massimo Rivola; Salucci told Motorsport.com he spoke with Rivola “two or three times.” Valentino Rossi also signaled confidence in continuing with Ducati as VR46 begins work toward a 2027 bike.

The team said it was on the verge of finalizing a multi‑year supply deal taking effect in 2027, with one report saying a three‑year 2027–2029 contract was expected to be finalized soon. Salucci described the paperwork as “very close” with only a few “small details” remaining, but warned a public announcement could be delayed while Ducati, Aprilia, Yamaha, KTM and teams negotiate a new manufacturers’/constructors’ agreement and broader commercial terms with MotoGP. Observers said the timing and final form of any 2027 supply arrangement remained contingent on those wider manufacturer–MotoGP talks and planned technical changes for 2027, including the move to the 850cc/Pirelli era.

Background context stressed VR46’s long association with Ducati. The team entered the premier class with Luca Marini, though sources differ on whether that step came in 2021 or 2022, and it replaced Pramac as Ducati’s main satellite team in 2025. Sources also differ on when formal factory support began (reports cite 2024 or 2025), but it is reported that Fabio Di Giannantonio has received the latest Ducati machinery and been run on factory‑spec equipment, while Franco Morbidelli has used a year‑old machine within the VR46 operation. VR46 has recorded race wins on the Desmosedici (most recently Marco Bezzecchi in 2023). Di Giannantonio and Morbidelli are out of contract at the end of this season, and the team reportedly pursued Pedro Acosta before he joined the official Ducati Lenovo squad.

MotoGP officials confirmed a major calendar overhaul as Liberty Media, MotoGP’s new owners, will replace Phillip Island with a planned Adelaide circuit as part of a push for more city-center events. Liberty announced Phillip Island will no longer host the Australian Grand Prix, though reports differ on the timing — the announcement cites a change “from 2027,” while some reports say Phillip Island was removed from the 2026 calendar. Some outlets suggested Adelaide could take the season-finale slot while Valencia moves into the middle of the season.

The move provoked widespread criticism from riders, commentators and fans; commentator Keith Huewen called the loss “tragic.” Organizers acknowledged the decision has created uncertainty for local communities and supporters.

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta defended the overhaul on safety grounds, saying “safety comes first,” and citing an increased number of accidents at Phillip Island and persistent wind and rain concerns. He said safety — not location alone — will determine which venues remain on the calendar, warning that Madrid’s IFEMA layout lacked required safety conditions and that Suzuka, while “a beautiful circuit,” could not remain under current safety standards. Organizers and circuit designer Jarno Zaffelli described the planned Adelaide layout as urban but not a true street circuit: Ezpeleta called it a “safe, non-street race,” and Zaffelli said it would not be a “true street circuit.” Liberty Media has signaled further calendar changes as it modernizes and globalizes MotoGP’s schedule, identifying at least one other unnamed circuit for removal; the dispute frames a broader clash between a push for more city-center events (and some street-style proposals) and defenders of traditional high-speed venues, with venue design and safety at the center of the debate.

TT Assen was voted the Best Grand Prix of 2025 after capping its centenary celebrations with a record weekend at the Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands, drawing more than 200,000 spectators. Teams and paddock stakeholders chose the honor, recognizing Assen for its on- and off-track entertainment and strong fan engagement; Motul was the event’s title sponsor. A specially commissioned trophy will be formally presented to the Dutch GP team at TT Assen on June 28, shortly before the MotoGP race lights out.

Organizers and MotoGP leadership credited deliberate improvements across operations and fan activities for the win. Arjan Bos, chairman of the TT Circuit Assen board and Dutch GP director, said the award reflected targeted work to improve the experience for competitors and spectators, while MotoGP chief executive Carmelo Ezpeleta praised Assen’s mix of modern facilities, deep history and its ability to grow crowds and fan activities. MotoGP noted the circuit’s focus on teams and riders, enhanced fan experience and added weekend entertainment; Motul and the broader paddock featured centrally in the event’s presentation and the judging process.

The result underlines Assen’s long-standing place in motorcycle racing. Known as “The Cathedral of Speed,” Assen first hosted the world championship in 1949 and has the most MotoGP appearances since the series began, with two-wheeled racing at the venue dating back to the mid-1920s. Reports say the June 2025 meeting drew approximately 200,000 spectators for the weekend, with a reported Sunday crowd of 109,499, and that Marc Márquez — the eventual 2025 champion — completed a double victory at Assen. The Best Grand Prix award follows previous winners such as the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona in 2024 and Qatar in 2023.

Ducati’s hopes at the Thai MotoGP in Buriram were derailed by mechanical problems and an unexpectedly poor team showing that left the factory without a podium. The result ended a long run of Ducati podiums — reported as an 88-race streak that began in 2021 — though sources differ on the precise race it began (reports cite the 2021 British GP and Aragon 2021). Aprilia dominated the opener, turning what had been a pre-race expectation of Ducati strength into a difficult weekend for the Italian marque.

The most dramatic failure came when Marc Márquez, who had begun the race on the front row and was contesting a podium, ran over the Turn 4 curb on lap 21 and suffered a deformed rear rim that caused an immediate loss of tire pressure and forced his retirement with six laps remaining. Ducati team boss Davide Tardozzi said “the rim exploded,” and technical lead Piero Taramasso said rim damage had been visible all weekend amid extreme heat and an aggressive curb design. Márquez called the failure “very strange” and “unlucky,” said he did not believe Michelin or the track surface were to blame, and insisted there was “no panic” at Ducati. Tardozzi added the failure likely cost Márquez at least a third-place finish and warned it complicates his championship bid.

Other Ducati riders also suffered setbacks. Fabio di Giannantonio, the top Ducati finisher, recovered to sixth after a mysterious technical fault on lap six that he said produced overheating, reduced his pace and forced him to back off; he ruled out a direct tire failure but declined to specify the issue and said he believed he could have challenged for a podium. Franco Morbidelli finished eighth and Francesco Bagnaia ninth after a weekend of struggles; Alex Márquez and Marc Márquez both retired, Michele Pirro finished last as a replacement rider, and team members were left searching for explanations as engineers tried to understand why the bikes felt different from testing. With Ducati stunned and Aprilia celebrating a dominant day, team figures urged calm while investigations into the wheel and bike issues continued.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, 29, is on a multi‑year transition from World Superbike to MotoGP, with his 2026–27 future shaped by overlapping agreements. He left WSBK after winning a third title and signed a two‑year MotoGP deal linked to Yamaha that begins in 2026, while remaining contracted to Pramac through the end of 2027. Sources say the presence of both a Yamaha‑linked factory arrangement and an existing Pramac seat creates the central overlap about where he will race in 2027.

The 2026 season is being presented as a transition year on and off track. Razgatlıoğlu made his MotoGP debut for Pramac at the Thailand Grand Prix, finishing 17th — third of four Yamahas and ahead only of teammate Jack Miller — in a weekend that featured strong Sprint pace but a last‑corner crash. Paddock observers said the Yamaha V4 package looked uncompetitive in that outing.

His manager, Kenan Sofuoğlu, told reporters there “could be interest” from factory Yamaha but he was “99% sure” Razgatlıoğlu would remain with Pramac in 2027; Pramac’s resistance to Honda’s attempt to sign him for 2026 has reinforced that position. Honda rider Luca Marini suggested Razgatlıoğlu may need until the 2027 season to be truly competitive and pointed to planned 2027 rule changes — 850cc engines, tighter aerodynamic limits and a ban on ride‑height devices — as factors that could affect adaptation. Those 2027 expectations are already affecting the rider market: Yamaha plans a largely new lineup for 2027 and has reportedly identified 2024 champion Jorge Martin as its preferred signing on a two‑year deal while it seeks his teammate. Reports say Yamaha views Razgatlıoğlu and Alex Rins as “far behind” in the race for a factory seat, even as Sofuoğlu and Yamaha describe an ongoing project aimed at improving the bike’s competitiveness for next year. With only one race contested so far this season, Razgatlıoğlu’s on‑track development and the team decisions that will shape his 2027 programme remain a developing story.

Pedro Acosta enjoyed a strong weekend in Buriram, winning the Saturday Sprint and finishing second in the Sunday Grand Prix after starting sixth on the grid on both days. His 32 points from the season opener put KTM seven points clear and made him the first KTM rider to lead the premier-class riders’ standings.

Acosta credited KTM’s off-season development and winter work — saying the team had recovered from a prior financial hit — and praised quicker garage decisions and a calmer approach fostered by crew chief Paul Trevathan’s video calls. The weekend underlined Acosta’s improved race execution: decisive overtakes, including one on Marc Márquez, better tire management and a more measured mindset. The Sprint win followed a controversial penalty for Márquez and broader steward interventions that left both Márquez and Acosta unhappy, while Marco Bezzecchi dominated Sunday’s main race to deny Acosta victory and extend Aprilia’s early momentum. Márquez suffered a late puncture or mechanical problem that cost him a top result, and Ducati (Borgo Panigale) endured mechanical and tire issues that ended its 88-race rostrum streak.

Acosta and KTM tempered expectations after the milestone weekend, stressing their priority is avoiding mistakes and aiming for consistency and regular top-five finishes rather than expecting every round to be equally strong. They warned the title fight remains wide open with Ducati and Aprilia competitive, and several reports cautioned a Sprint is not the same test as a full Grand Prix, so further confirmation will be needed as the season now heads to Brazil’s Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna.