The return of MotoGP: what you need to know before the start lights go out

The week that motorcycle racing fans around the world have been waiting for has arrived. The Motorcycling World Championship is back and so is that tingling sensation when you see the bikes getting on the grid, the expectation when the start light is red, and the thrilling sound that marks the beginning of a new season.

This year also comes with a new surprise: the return of Repsol Lubricants to the championship. From 2026 to 2030, all Moto2 and Moto3 bikes will compete with Repsol lubricants, testing the performance of the products in one of the world's most demanding scenarios.

But we'd rather address this racetrack reunion by concentrating what really matters: dates, teams, riders, and what we are going to experience from the first corner.

When the 2026 MotoGP World Championship begins

The teams have fine-tuned their sensations at the tests in Portimão and Jerez, so everything is ready for the start of the championship at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, which will host the Thai Grand Prix from February 27th to March 1st.

This race, which will be followed by Brazil (March 20th–22nd) and the United States (March 27th–29th), kicks off a calendar that will once again total 22 grand prix races, thus repeating last year's record. To wrap it up, the Valencian GP will once again be put the finishing touch on the season.

Between it all we'll visit circuits that reward the perfect route, others that demand clean traction, and Sundays that are decided when the brakes are pushed to the limit.

What's new in Moto2 and Moto3 in 2026

The Moto2 season promises to be full of duels that will be decided by hundredths of a second. In total, 16 teams (and three chassis manufacturers) will compete to reach the top in the lead-up to the premier class.

Together, they promise a scenario that matches experience against ambition, with epic struggles between veterans like Arón Canet and Tony Arbolino while witnessing the Moto2 debut of riders such as Ángel Piqueras or José Antonio Rueda, the reigning Moto3 champion.

Moto3, the category that is also a mainstay of world motorcycling, maintains its essence. For yet another year, fans will delight in endless sweeps, groups of 15 and victories decided by no more than a bike's length.

This year, there will be up to eight new riders (Brian Uriarte, Jesús Ríos, Rico Salmela, Casey O'Gorman, Hakim Danish, Veda Pratama, Zen Mitani, and Leo Rammerstorfer). Their challenge will be to face names such as Marco Morelli and Joel Esteban, who last season were in second and third place in the Moto3 championship.

Repsol lubricants in Moto2 and Moto3

In Moto2 and Moto3, performance is measured at high temperatures, severe loads, and rhythms that leave little room for error. This is where the invisible sustains the essential: the lubricant that stabilizes, cares, for and speeds up braking without sacrificing reliability.

Between 2026 and 2030, the entire grid in both categories will compete exclusively with Repsol lubricants, which will help stabilize thermal performance, reduce friction, and protect components in extreme conditions.

These are products developed at Repsol TechLab, one of the most advanced private research centers in Europe and which has the knowledge accumulated after decades of experience in top-level competition. In addition, Repsol Lubricants is launching a new range for motorcycles with the same formulation used in Moto2 and Moto3, thus reinforcing its commitment to the world of motorcycles.

Starting this weekend, every lap will once again be an opportunity to see, in the most demanding environment, how technology becomes trust and continue to improve the products that end up reaching the end user. See you in Buriram. And every Sunday, at every finish line.