So MotoGP has lost Phillip Island. That is a tragedy in itself. Phillip Island and Mugello are the two greatest motorcycle race tracks on the planet, and to lose one from the calendar is devastating. The fans and most of the riders will be heartbroken.
I say "most of the riders", because as Aleix Espargaro pointed out on his social media account, losing Phillip Island means losing one of the most dangerous tracks on the calendar. You do not want to crash at Phillip Island, because when you do, it can end very badly. When pretty much every corner bar Miller Corner and MG are blisteringly fast, falling off is always going to hurt.
Which brings me to why Phillip Island lost MotoGP in the first place. As glorious as the location and layout is, the facilities are more 1976 than 2026. I freely admit that I am not speaking from first-hand experience. But I have been badgered for long enough by fans, friends and fellow journalists that I really should be making the pilgrimage to have gotten the truth about the facilities from them. The nicest thing that you can say about the circuit is that there is a barista in the media center.
Left behind
In more practical terms, the garages are over 20 years old, small and dingy. Power supplies struggle to cope with the demands of the current MotoGP grid, as data processing requirements have exploded. Spectators are mostly left exposed out in the open. Which at Phillip Island in October, risks hypothermia, a drenching, and sunburn all at the same time.
David Emmett Thu, 19/Feb/2026 - 22:25As reported earlier today, the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group issued the following press release today, announcing that MotoGP will leave Phillip Island in Australia and switch to a street circuit in Adelaide from 2027 through 2032:
MotoGP to roar into the city streets of Adelaide from 2027
MotoGP has confirmed that the Australian Grand Prix will move to the Adelaide Street Circuit from 2027, marking a first-of-its-kind event for the sport
David Emmett Thu, 19/Feb/2026 - 01:05
OPINION: The MotoGP Press Release That Explains Why MotoGP Is Leaving Phillip Island For Adelaide [ 18-Feb-26 4:21pm ]I have tried to explain the reasons behind MotoGP's decision to move the Australian Grand Prix away from Phillip Island and into an urban setting on a number of occasions. But shortly after I published this piece on how the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group is about to announce that the race has been moved from Phillip Island to Adelaide, MSEG issued the press release reproduced below, explaining its reasoning.
The press release contains the following key sentence:
MotoGP is accelerating its evolution from a traditional motorsport championship into a fan-first global entertainment brand.
That, in a nutshell, is it.
The MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group press release appears below in full. I did not download the 24GB of video assets which accompany it:
MotoGP unveils Wired Different 2026 Season Campaign
The world's most magnetic sport returns with a bold new global campaign celebrating the mindset, machines and moments that make MotoGP unlike anything else on earth
Wednesday, 18 February 2026
After a record-breaking 2025 season that drew 3.6 million fans trackside, MotoGP today launches its 2026 season campaign: Wired Different.
This is not just a campaign. It is a statement. Wired Different captures the raw DNA of MotoGP - riders who make split-second decisions at over 360 km/h, teams who chase perfection down to the smallest data point, and fans who feel every overtake, every save, every collision as if they were on the bike themselves.
David Emmett Wed, 18/Feb/2026 - 16:21 Australian MotoGP Round To Move To Adelaide Street Circuit [ 18-Feb-26 11:03am ]Phillip Island has lost the battle to retain the Australian round of MotoGP. According to news reports from Australia, the government of South Australia offered MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, as we must now refer to Dorna, conditions which the government of the Australian state of Victoria was not williing to grant. The race will now move to street circuit in Adelaide, with an announcement set to be made on Thursday, Australian time.
According to statements made to the 9 News channel in Australian by Victorian Sports Minister Steve Dimopoulos, the event could have been kept in the state of Victoria, but only if the Victorian government had met MSEG's demands to move the race to Albert Park, the circuit which hosts the F1 round. "We know we could have kept the event in Victoria, if we'd sold out Phillip Island. We weren't willing to do that," he said.
David Emmett Wed, 18/Feb/2026 - 11:03
Honda has once again turned to the MotoGP paddock in its search for answers in WorldSBK. On paper, there is plenty to like about the latest reset. In reality, there are just as many reasons to wonder whether history is about to repeat itself.
When the 2020 WorldSBK season kicked off there was plenty of optimism within Honda. The Fireblade was back as a factory effort, the cheque book had been opened for Alvaro Bautista to lead the project. The championship felt ready for a shake-up. Six years on and Team HRC is still searching for the breakthrough that was supposed to come quickly.
Another season brings another reset with a new rider line-up signaling the latest fresh start. The question is no longer whether Honda can rebuild but rather if the latest rebuild will deliver.
Jake Dixon arrives to lead the charge. The Brit has forged a strong reputation in Moto2 after making the leap from British Superbikes but WorldSBK will be a different challenge. The Fireblade has potential, but unlocking it will take time. At least Dixon has knows the Pirelli tyres from Moto2. The paddock though knows Honda's track record.
More new blood
Steve English Tue, 17/Feb/2026 - 18:00Alex Escrig has become the first ever Moto2 rider to lap the Circuito de Jerez in less than 1'39. On the final day of preseason testing for the Moto2 class, the Forward Racing rider squeezed out a lap of 1'38.815, two tenths faster than Manu Gonzalez had lapped on Monday, and a whole seven tenths faster than Deniz Öncü's outright lap record set last year during practice.
David Emmett Tue, 17/Feb/2026 - 17:36The regional government of Victoria, the Australian state where both Phillip Island and the city of Melbourne are located, have rejected a request from MotoGP organizer Dorna to move the Australian round of MotoGP from the Phillip Island circuit to Albert Park, the circuit inside Melbourne used for F1.
A statement issued by the government of Victoria expressed support for the Phillip Island circuit hosting MotoGP. "The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is synonymous with Phillip Island, and Victoria is proud to support it," the statement read. "Today the Allan Labor Government ruled out a request from Dorna Sports to move the event from Phillip Island to Albert Park. As regional Australia's biggest international sporting event, the Motorcycle GP brings tens of thousands of visitors to Phillip Island every year. It's good for tourism, good for local businesses, and good for jobs."
David Emmett Tue, 17/Feb/2026 - 16:35How exactly does the best breaking news journalist in the MotoGP paddock handle something like learning that Fabio Quartararo is ready to sign a deal with Honda? Motorsport.com's Oriol Puigdemont joins Neil, Adam and David to talk scoops, insider deals, and digging up what's happening in MotoGP. While he was with us, we also ask what surprises he sees in the MotoGP silly season, whether we can expect any surprises in the title chase, what we all think might pleasantly surprise us, and what we expect will be the biggest disappointments of 2026.
Join our merry band of supporters by signing up to the Paddock Pass Podcast Patreon to get access to our Discord server and a host of exclusive content. Show you are listening to the world's smartest racing podcast by getting your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more from our merch store. Enjoy the show!
David Emmett Tue, 17/Feb/2026 - 10:49
Bimota's high-profile return to WorldSBK in 2025 proved far more than a symbolic comeback. When the project was announced, expectations were unclear. A Bimota chassis powered by a Kawasaki engine inevitably prompted questions: would it simply be a rebadged ZX-10RR?
Winter testing quickly answered that. This was an all-new machine and, for the Provec Racing squad, an ambitious project.
By season's end, it was a successful first chapter. Alex Lowes led the effort superbly, claiming four podium finishes on his way to sixth in the riders' standings. It might have been even better: the Brit crashed out of the lead at his home round and missed two races through injury.
As the year progressed, Lowes' confidence visibly grew. After five seasons aboard the Kawasaki, adapting to a new package required time, but once comfortable he began extracting increasingly strong performances as development momentum built through the summer. He relished the role of team leader.
Steve English Tue, 17/Feb/2026 - 09:00Ducati have dominated the second and final day of the WorldSBK test at Phillip Island. Once again, it is factory Aruba.it Ducati rider Nicolo Bulega with a big advantage, faster than MarcVDS Ducati's Sam Lowes by two thirds of a second, consolidating his position as favorite for the title. Lorenzo Baldassarri is third fastest on the GoEleven Ducati, while Yari Montella made it four Ducatis in the top four on the Barni machine.
David Emmett Tue, 17/Feb/2026 - 08:43Jaume Masia ends the final World Supersport test as fastest, though the WorldSSP field is very close. Masia was just three hundredths of a second faster than Oli Bayliss on the Triumph 765, with Tom Booth-Amos moving up into third. Drops of rain disrupted the first part of the afternoon session, though it never persisted and the track remained mostly dry.
David Emmett Tue, 17/Feb/2026 - 08:39
There are a lot of changes at Yamaha this year. Rider changes and crew chief changes take the headlines, but will there be a change of fortunes in 2026? That's a lot harder to forecast because while the YZF-R1 is a very capable machine, it is also a very traditional Superbike when compared to some of the other animals on the grid.
Motorcycle racing in general, and WorldSBK in particular, is predatory. Everyone is out for themselves and out to maximise their advantages. In production racing that means starting with the most advanced bike possible. Yamaha has taken a different tact and made a road bike that's capable of being a competitive racing machine. Other manufacturers have taken a different approach and it has allowed their base packages to be more competitive.
This difference is one of the reasons that making Superbike racing more akin to Superstock regulations has always been difficult to envision. If you make everything as standard as possible, as close to the road bike as possible, you also accentuate the differences and deficiencies of one machine versus another.
Steve English Mon, 16/Feb/2026 - 18:00Manu Gonzalez has his Moto2 challenge back on track at the final test of the 2026 preseason. After a washed out test at Portimão, the Moto2 class got a full day of running at the Jerez circuit.
David Emmett Mon, 16/Feb/2026 - 17:02Dorna Sports, S.L., the company which has run grand prix motorcycle racing since 1992, has been renamed. From now on, the company will be known as MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, though much of the current organizational structure will remain intact.
Renaming the company is a commercial decision, and one aimed at giving the company a more global appeal. In a commercial environment, the name Dorna Sports always needed an explainer as to what they did. MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group does exactly what it says on the tin.
According to the press release issued on the name change, this is the next step in the rebranding process started back in 2024. That was before the takeover by Liberty Media, and part of a growing awareness that the growth of MotoGP had plateaued, was stuck at its current level and needed to find a new impulse to grow. Liberty has since picked up that objective and is pushing it forward.
David Emmett Mon, 16/Feb/2026 - 13:49 Steve English' 2026 WorldSBK Preview - The New Normal at BMW? [ 16-Feb-26 9:45am ]
Is there a manufacturer in WorldSBK facing bigger question marks heading into the season than BMW? The German marque has dominated the championship for the past two years in the hands of Toprak Razgatlioglu. With the Turkish superstar gone one question remains: can BMW find a way to be successful?
Razgatlioglu's departure leaves a huge void to be filled. While the M1000RR has proven itself to be a title-winning machine, BMW's recent success was always seen as being about the rider rather than the bike. For decades BMW Motorrad chased a World Championship, and when it was delivered it wasn't the result of vast development budgets. It was, rather, the investment made in Razgatlioglu that delivered success. His sheer talent defined the project and delivered the title.
Now BMW has to move forward without its talisman.
Steve English Mon, 16/Feb/2026 - 09:45 2026 WorldSSP Phillip Island Test Day 1 Results: Masia Leads Oli Bayliss and Philipp Oettl [ 16-Feb-26 9:41am ]Times at the end of day 1:
David Emmett Mon, 16/Feb/2026 - 09:41 2026 WorldSBK Phillip Island Test Day 1 Results: Bulega Heads The Field [ 16-Feb-26 9:34am ]Blue skies and balmy weather met the WorldSBK paddock on the first day of the Phillip Island test in Australia, making up for the time lost to the winter storms which lashed both Jerez and Portimão tests a couple of weeks ago. With plenty of dry track time, it was firm favorite Nicola Bulega who topped the timesheets, the Aruba.it Ducati rider nearly three tenths ahead of the pack. Axel Bassani impressed in second, the Bimota rider another three tenths ahead of Sam Lowes on the Marc VDS Ducati, while Yari Montella was fourth quickest.
David Emmett Mon, 16/Feb/2026 - 09:34 Steve English' 2026 WorldSBK Preview - Ducati: Winning, The Only Thing That Matters [ 15-Feb-26 7:00pm ]
A new and improved Ducati Panigale V4 R was the last thing the rest of the WorldSBK grid wanted to see heading into 2026. The Bologna-built missile has been the most complete package in the championship for several seasons, and this year it has taken another clear step forward.
Nicolo Bulega enters the third season of his WorldSBK career with real momentum. The Italian is the clear favourite for the title, and if he delivers the dominance many expect, a MotoGP seat looks set to await in 2027. Bulega's road to redemption has been a surprise to everyone. His talent was never in question but his Grand Prix career was marked by inconsistency. In WorldSBK, that frailty has disappeared. He looks sharper, tougher and fully at home.
Steve English Sun, 15/Feb/2026 - 19:00 2026 Jerez Moto3 Test Day 2 Times: Quiles Tops Moto3 Preseason Testing [ 15-Feb-26 5:39pm ]Times at the end of day 2:
David Emmett Sun, 15/Feb/2026 - 17:39 2026 Jerez Moto3 Test Day 1 Times: Carpe Leads Pini And Ogden [ 14-Feb-26 5:38pm ]After a washed out test at Portimão, the Moto3 class had a day of good weather at Jerez for the first day of the two-day test at the Andalusian circuit. Alvaro Carpe ended the day as fastest, just ahead of Guido Pini and Scott Ogden. Times were some way off record pace, however: Carpe's 1'44.980 is six tenths slower than the race lap record, and 1.2 seconds off David Alonso's outright lap record set during qualifying in 2024.
David Emmett Sat, 14/Feb/2026 - 17:38
As I wrote about KTM, it is sometimes hard to see what has changed for some parts and on some bikes. This is especially true for Honda, where the riders told us they have tested a lot of parts to improve the bike. Yet comparing pictures I took at Sepang (in hindsight, woefully few) with the photos from the Valencia test and the Portimão round, it is hard to see much difference.
On the one hand, that is not surprising, given that the one thing that we know the Honda riders were focused on was on ensuring the engine was right. Honda moves from Category D last year to Category C in 2026, which means they have to homologate an engine design at Buriram and then use that design for the rest of the season. So a lot of the work done at Sepang was about validating the engine, checking power delivery and engine character, and making sure it will remain in one piece throughout the season.
David Emmett Fri, 13/Feb/2026 - 17:55Fermin Aldeguer is to miss the final test of the 2026 MotoGP season at Buriram on February 21st and 22nd, as well as the first round of the season in Thailand to be held a week later, from February 27th to March 1st. Gresini Racing today announced that Spaniard is still recovering from breaking his femur in a training accident at the beginning of January. Aldeguer is to be replaced by Ducati test rider Michele Pirro at the first round of MotoGP.
It was widely expected that Aldeguer would not be fit for Buriram. It usually takes between 6 to 8 weeks before a femur fracture has healed sufficiently to carry your full weight. Returning to full fitness can take many months. The Buriram round of MotoGP starts 7 weeks after Aldeguer's crash, which is too early to have much strength in the leg.
David Emmett Thu, 12/Feb/2026 - 13:34- Read more about Fermin Aldeguer To Miss Buriram Test And Thai GP
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The tables are turned for this episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast. We asked our Patreon supporters for their MotoGP hot takes after the Sepang MotoGP test, and boy did they deliver. Will Fabio Quartararo pull a Maverick Viñales with Yamaha's V4? Will Marc Marquez do a one-year deal with Ducati then head back to Honda? What, exactly, is up with KTM? We also give our one-line verdicts on the Sepang MotoGP test, and discuss the MotoGP launch. Read Adam's piece on the launch here.
David Emmett Wed, 11/Feb/2026 - 18:05
In the first half of 2025, KTM seemed utterly lost. The Austrian factory had two new riders in Tech3, Pedro Acosta having graduated to the factory team alongside Brad Binder. In the satellite Tech3 squad, Enea Bastianini floundered, while Maverick Viñales went about the business of being fast, blithely unaware of the fact that no one else in KTM seemed to know how to make the 2025 RC16 work.
It was obvious to even the most casual observer that KTM were struggling. Four riders had four different bikes, and each seemed to be pursuing their own direction. There was no sense that anyone had a clear idea of how the RC16 was supposed to work. It felt like KTM were just throwing parts at the bike in the hope that they would spontaneously self-organize into a race-winning motorcycle.
David Emmett Tue, 10/Feb/2026 - 18:05Jorge Martin has been given the all clear by doctors to travel to Buriram for the final test of the 2026 MotoGP preseason.On Monday, he had a medical check at the Hospital Ruber Internacional in Madrid to assess his left scaphoid and right collarbone. That doctors gave a positive assessment to his recovery from surgery in mid December, allowing him to travel to Buriram in the hope of taking part in the test.
The factory Aprilia rider will have to pass a physical evaluation by the MotoGP medical team before he is actually allowed to ride, but in most cases, that is almost a formality, as the medical team treating the rider's injuries will have been in touch with the MotoGP medical team after the examination.
The news that Martin has been allowed to travel to Buriram makes it almost certain that the Aprilia rider will be able to compete in the Thai GP, the opening round of 2026, barring injury during the test.
David Emmett Mon, 09/Feb/2026 - 16:18 Dorna Press Release: MotoGP Lights Up Kuala Lumpur [ 08-Feb-26 9:48am ]After holding a spectacular launch of the 2026 MotoGP season in the center of downtown Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Dorna issued the following press release:
Season Launch: MotoGP lights up Kuala Lumpur
Press Release Sun, 08/Feb/2026 - 09:48 Sepang MotoGP Test Analysis, Part 2: A Photo Essay Deep Dive Into Aprilia - Aero, And Interpreting Riders [ 07-Feb-26 9:41am ]
As journalists, we are reliant on various sources of information. What riders tell us, what we can spot with our own eyes, and what we can find out through various sources who are not supposed to be speaking to us. Our primary source, however, is the riders. After all, they are contractually obliged to speak to us at the end of every day, with only injury or looming PR disaster to prevent it.
That means they find themselves between a rock and a hard place. The team's PR staff tell the riders that they have to speak to journalists (under pressure from Dorna). And the team's PR staff simultaneously tell them not to tell us anything. Which leaves them learning circuitous patterns of speech which are either blatantly or deceptively vacuous. Alex Márquez has learned to be as vague as possible. Cal Crutchlow and Valentino Rossi would also tell us nothing, but do so with so much wit that we didn't notice until we listened back to the audio to transcribe it.
David Emmett Sat, 07/Feb/2026 - 09:41 Sepang MotoGP Test Analysis, Part 1: A Photo Essay Deep Dive Into Ducati's Aero And Ride-Height [ 06-Feb-26 4:32pm ]
It is tempting to leap to conclusions about the 2026 MotoGP season after the first preseason test at Sepang. Five Ducatis in the top seven? Marco Bezzecchi in second? A Honda in fifth? That must mean we are in for a repeat of 2025, right?
As tempting as it is, that would be a mistake. The Sepang MotoGP test has traditionally been not so much a poor guide to the season to come as a deceptive one. It always overstates the strengths of some factories and the weaknesses of others. There might be one rider who emerges from the test as favorite, but that rider rarely wins the title. In the past 15 years, since 2011, the rider who topped the timesheets at Sepang has ended the season as champion only twice: Casey Stoner in 2011, and Marc Márquez in 2014.
David Emmett Fri, 06/Feb/2026 - 16:32 Paddock Pass Podcast Episode 536: Winners And Losers From The Sepang MotoGP Test [ 06-Feb-26 8:47am ]2026 is underway for real now, and MotoGP bikes have spent six days circulating at Sepang. David, Neil, Adam, and Steve discuss what they saw at the Sepang test, who their big winners and big losers from Sepang were. Will this be another Ducati whitewash? Have KTM done enough to catch Aprilia and Ducati? What happened on Yamaha's disastrous Wednesday? Are Honda treading water or catching up? And after Aprilia staged the wedding Marco Bezzecchi and his Aprilia RS-GP at Sepang, who will get custody of the kids?
Thanks to Renthal Street for their support for the show.
David Emmett Fri, 06/Feb/2026 - 08:47Alex Marquez leaves the Sepang MotoGP test as the fastest rider over all three days. The Gresini Ducati rider put in a very fast time to beat the best time ever set at a Sepang test, though he was a few hundredths off Pecco Bagnaia's pole record from 2024.
David Emmett Thu, 05/Feb/2026 - 12:10Combined times from Day 3 of the Sepang Test:
David Emmett Thu, 05/Feb/2026 - 12:07Times for the afternoon session of the final day at Sepang:
David Emmett Thu, 05/Feb/2026 - 10:21The final session of the Sepang MotoGP test has been dedicated to race simulations and long runs. Alex Marquez leads a Ducati top three, ahead of the two Ducati Lenovos of Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia. All three did race simulations, with Alex Marquez quickest, Pecco Bagnaia second fastest, and Marc Marquez third. Pedro Acosta was fourth fastest overall, and his race simulation was a fraction slower than that of Marc Marquez.
The first spots of rain have been spotted around the track, threatening to bring proceedings to an early close.
4pm results:
David Emmett Thu, 05/Feb/2026 - 08:30Times at the end of the morning session:
David Emmett Thu, 05/Feb/2026 - 05:18Alex Marquez is currently fastest at noon on the final day of the MotoGP test at Sepang. The Gresini Ducati rider is nearly four tenths clear of the next fastest rider, Fabio Di Giannantonio on Pertamina VR46 Ducati, while Pecco Bagnaia makes it three Ducatis in the top three. The factory Ducati rider is half a second slower than Alex Marquez.
David Emmett Thu, 05/Feb/2026 - 04:00Yamaha is to continue testing on the final day of the Sepang MotoGP test. The Japanese factory halted all testing activity after Fabio Quartararo's bike had a technical problem in the late afternoon on the first day of the test, Yamahas seeing no track action on day 2. The decision was taken because they feared they could cause a dangerous situation for both their own riders and riders of other teams, Yamaha's technical director Max Bartolini explained on Wednesday.
David Emmett Thu, 05/Feb/2026 - 02:21- Read more about Yamaha To Resume Testing At Sepang After Investigation
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MotoGP tests are schizophrenic affairs. There is a lot of waiting around as it feels like nothing is happening, and there is a lot of frantic chasing around trying to figure out what is happening. Sometimes, both of these are going on at the same time. It is only after you have sat down after a test and had time to think about what went on that you can begin to get a handle on it.
This is not just a roundabout way of saying that a fuller analysis of what people are testing will have to wait until I can sit down in my hotel room on Friday and type up everything I think I learned. It is also a chance to say that Wednesday was one of those days where nothing and everything happens at the same time.
First, the big news of the day. And of the test really. And perhaps the biggest news of MotoGP for as long as I can remember. Bigger than when Yamaha was forced to request a change to their valves in 2020. As you will have undoubtedly heard, unless you have been confined in an isolation chamber for the past day, Yamaha have paused participation in the rest of the Sepang test, after engineers analyzed a technical problem with Fabio Quartararo's bike on Tuesday afternoon and found that it could be dangerous, both for the Yamaha riders, and for other riders on track.
David Emmett Wed, 04/Feb/2026 - 17:23Joan Mir is the fastest overall after two days of testing at Sepang. Mir was one of two riders to get into the 1'56s on Wednesday, the other being Franco Morbidelli. Almost everyone improved their lap time on Day 2, with only Marc Marquez, Johann Zarco, and Alex Marquez not beating their times from Tuesday. The rain played a role, robbing the riders of track time in the afternoon.
Combined times from Days 1 and 2:
David Emmett Wed, 04/Feb/2026 - 11:45The second session of testing on Wednesday at Sepang was a washout. The rider sat in the pits after the break for lunch, saving tires to do time attacks on the final day, and at 4pm, shortly after the first few riders ventured out again, the rain came, eventually turning into a proper downpour. A few riders got some time in the wet, most notably Diogo Moreira, using the opportunity to get his first taste of Michelin's rain tires. Maverick Viñales and Franco Morbidelli also got some wet track time.
David Emmett Wed, 04/Feb/2026 - 11:21After the surprise news that Yamaha decided to suspend testing at the Sepang MotoGP test due to a technical issue with their new V4 machine, Technical Director Max Bartolini spoke to the media at Sepang. Bartolini was interviewed by Dorna, then spoke to assembled journalists.
The extremely unusual decision to stop testing was taken after Fabio Quartararo stopped on track on Tuesday toward the end of the day. Identifying the cause of the problem had led Yamaha racing in Japan to decide to suspend their testing program until they can figure out a solution, or a way of continuing to run the engine safely.
David Emmett Wed, 04/Feb/2026 - 09:40 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test FP3 Times: Mir Fastest As Yamaha Ends Test Prematurely [ 04-Feb-26 4:05am ]The big news at the Sepang MotoGP test is that Yamaha have put their entire test on hold after Fabio Quartararo suffered a technical problem on Tuesday afternoon. See this story for more information.
David Emmett Wed, 04/Feb/2026 - 04:05 Yamaha Suspends V4 MotoGP Testing, Quartararo's Technical Issue Under Investigation [ 04-Feb-26 4:30am ]The big news at the Sepang MotoGP test is that Yamaha have put their entire test on hold after Fabio Quartararo suffered a technical problem on Tuesday afternoon. No details off the issue have been confirmed or released, but clouds of white some were seen coming Quartararo's bike as it was sat parked against the barriers.
Earlier, I had seen Yamaha mechanics spending a lot of time ensuring that the cooling system was fully filled, though that is not necessarily proof that this is where the problem is. However, if you are going to run into problems with heat, Sepang is one of the prime candidates for it to happen. Senior management at Yamaha have told the teams that testing with the V4 is to stop until the cause of the problem is identified. The garage doors in Yamaha remain closed.
David Emmett Wed, 04/Feb/2026 - 04:30 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test Tuesday Round Up: Wasting Laps On Mediums, Yamaha's Misfortune, And Bagnaia Is Back [ 03-Feb-26 5:08pm ]The reigning world champion Marc Márquez the fastest on Day 1 of the first preseason test of the 2026 MotoGP season at Sepang? That's it, call it off, hand him the trophy and move on. Sarcasm? How could you tell?
There is always a lot of excitement about the times set at the Sepang MotoGP test. Understandable, after a long winter without any news. But the times from Sepang are complicated to interpret at best. And the times from the first day of the test triply so.
The bikes rolled out for the start of the morning session in the same trim as the teams packed them away at the end of the Valencia test. The reason for doing that is simple: to stimulate the muscle memory of the riders, remind them of how the bike that last rode felt. The first job of a MotoGP rider at Sepang is to acclimatize yourself to the brutal horsepower and massive speed of a MotoGP bike.
Then, there's the fact that Michelin are forced by contract to bring two different rear compounds to the Sepang test. Pointless, as during the test and on a race weekend, everyone only wants to use the soft rear. So the first day of the test is also used to use up the medium rears the riders hate. They are useful for the basic work of the first day, but when the serious testing starts - that'll be tomorrow, Wednesday - then the teams want as many softs available as possible.
David Emmett Tue, 03/Feb/2026 - 17:08Combined times from morning and afternoon sessions:
David Emmett Tue, 03/Feb/2026 - 12:07Afternoon session results:
David Emmett Tue, 03/Feb/2026 - 10:19The teams took an extended break after lunch, to avoid the extreme heat in the middle of the day and to save tires for the last two days of the test. That means running has been limited so far this afternoon. Pecco Bagnaia was fastest at 4pm, which would have put him 3rd fastest overall on the day. Joan Mir was second quickest, though still half a second slower than he was this morning, while Fabio di Giannantonio, again still some time off his best lap.
David Emmett Tue, 03/Feb/2026 - 08:30 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test Day FP1 1pm Times - Alex Marquez Takes Over At The Top [ 03-Feb-26 5:22am ]Times at 1pm:
David Emmett Tue, 03/Feb/2026 - 05:22 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test Day 1 12:00 Times - Bezzecchi Fastest As 2026 Kicks Off [ 03-Feb-26 4:13am ]Marco Bezzecchi tops the timesheets after the first two hours of testing at Sepang. The Aprilia rider is currently the only rider to hit the 1'57s, and is a third of a second faster than the rest of the field. Jack Miller is second on the Pramac Yamaha, having the benefit of two days testing under his belt, with Pedro Acosta currently third.
David Emmett Tue, 03/Feb/2026 - 04:13 2026 Sepang MotoGP Test Monday Round Up: Silly Season Explodes, Yamaha Builds A V4, Toprak Arrives [ 02-Feb-26 4:14pm ]
MotoGP testing is about to kick off, and excitement hangs in the air among fans and paddock alike. As it should, of course: it's been 10 weeks since MotoGP bikes were out on track in full public view. But the excitement isn't just about the prospect of seeing what MotoGP's five manufacturers have brought to test. That is being overshadowed by the sudden explosion of the MotoGP rider market. Rumor is rife, speculation is running amok.
Making things worse, ironically, is the fact that we have our first officially announced rider signing. (Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean this was the first contract signed, just the first contract announced. Contract announcements are complicated things, with any number of representatives and sponsors needing to be informed before the news can be made public.
David Emmett Mon, 02/Feb/2026 - 16:14 Press Release: Honda HRC Castrol Reveal 2026 Livery [ 02-Feb-26 10:36am ]The Honda HRC Castrol MotoGP team issued the following press release after their online team launch:
Honda HRC Castrol Reveal 2026 Colours
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