News Summary
- Mandalika hosts the next MotoGP round from 9–11 October, immediately after the Japanese Grand Prix.
- The Sprint and main race start at 15:00 local time, equivalent to 08:00 in the UK and 12:30 in India.
- Jorge Martín arrives with a two-point championship lead over Marc Márquez after the Ducati rider’s Motegi double.
The next MotoGP race is the Indonesian Grand Prix, taking place from 9–11 October 2026 at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit on Lombok. Practice begins on Friday, followed by qualifying and the Sprint on Saturday and the main race on Sunday.
Sunday’s race starts at 15:00 in Mandalika, which means 08:00 in the UK, 03:00 Eastern Time in the United States and Canada, midnight Pacific Time and 12:30 in India. Australian viewers can watch at 18:00 in Sydney and Melbourne, 17:00 in Brisbane and 15:00 in Perth.
The championship moves straight from Japan to Indonesia with almost nothing separating its leading contenders. Marc Márquez won both races at Motegi, reducing Jorge Martín’s advantage to just two points before another weekend offering a maximum of 37.
When does the Indonesian MotoGP weekend begin?
The first premier-class session is Free Practice 1 on Friday 9 October at 10:45 local time. The afternoon Practice session follows at 15:00.
That Friday afternoon session determines which ten riders progress directly to Q2. Everyone else must contest Q1 on Saturday, with the fastest two earning the remaining places in the pole-position shootout.
Saturday begins with Free Practice 2 at 10:10, followed by Q1 at 10:50 and Q2 at 11:15. The Sprint starts at 15:00.
Sunday’s warm-up takes place at 10:40, ahead of the main race at 15:00.
Mandalika uses Central Indonesia Time, or WITA, which is UTC+8. That is one hour ahead of Jakarta, so viewers should use Lombok’s time zone when checking the schedule.
Indonesian MotoGP 2026: full Mandalika schedule
| Session | Date in Mandalika | Local time — WITA |
|---|---|---|
| Free Practice 1 | Friday 9 October | 10:45 |
| Practice | Friday 9 October | 15:00 |
| Free Practice 2 | Saturday 10 October | 10:10 |
| Qualifying 1 | Saturday 10 October | 10:50 |
| Qualifying 2 | Saturday 10 October | 11:15 |
| Sprint | Saturday 10 October | 15:00 |
| Warm-up | Sunday 11 October | 10:40 |
| Grand Prix | Sunday 11 October | 15:00 |
Mandalika start times for the UK, US, Canada and India
The UK remains on British Summer Time during the Indonesian Grand Prix. Eastern and Pacific times below also include daylight saving.
North American viewers should pay particular attention to the dates: Friday morning practice in Indonesia takes place on Thursday evening in the US and Canada, while qualifying falls on Friday evening.
| Session | UK — BST | US/Canada Eastern — EDT | US/Canada Pacific — PDT | India — IST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FP1 | Fri 9, 03:45 | Thu 8, 22:45 | Thu 8, 19:45 | Fri 9, 08:15 |
| Practice | Fri 9, 08:00 | Fri 9, 03:00 | Fri 9, 00:00 | Fri 9, 12:30 |
| FP2 | Sat 10, 03:10 | Fri 9, 22:10 | Fri 9, 19:10 | Sat 10, 07:40 |
| Q1 | Sat 10, 03:50 | Fri 9, 22:50 | Fri 9, 19:50 | Sat 10, 08:20 |
| Q2 | Sat 10, 04:15 | Fri 9, 23:15 | Fri 9, 20:15 | Sat 10, 08:45 |
| Sprint | Sat 10, 08:00 | Sat 10, 03:00 | Sat 10, 00:00 | Sat 10, 12:30 |
| Warm-up | Sun 11, 03:40 | Sat 10, 22:40 | Sat 10, 19:40 | Sun 11, 08:10 |
| Grand Prix | Sun 11, 08:00 | Sun 11, 03:00 | Sun 11, 00:00 | Sun 11, 12:30 |
Eastern times apply to cities including New York and Toronto; Pacific times apply to Los Angeles and Vancouver. Other North American time zones differ.
Indonesian MotoGP start times in Australia
Sydney and Melbourne will already be on Australian Eastern Daylight Time, following the clock change on 4 October. Queensland and Western Australia do not make that change.
All sessions listed below take place on the same calendar date in Australia as in Mandalika.
| Session | Date | Sydney/Melbourne — AEDT | Brisbane — AEST | Perth — AWST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FP1 | Friday 9 October | 13:45 | 12:45 | 10:45 |
| Practice | Friday 9 October | 18:00 | 17:00 | 15:00 |
| FP2 | Saturday 10 October | 13:10 | 12:10 | 10:10 |
| Q1 | Saturday 10 October | 13:50 | 12:50 | 10:50 |
| Q2 | Saturday 10 October | 14:15 | 13:15 | 11:15 |
| Sprint | Saturday 10 October | 18:00 | 17:00 | 15:00 |
| Warm-up | Sunday 11 October | 13:40 | 12:40 | 10:40 |
| Grand Prix | Sunday 11 October | 18:00 | 17:00 | 15:00 |
Times are scheduled session starts and remain subject to changes by the organisers.
Martín and Marc Márquez take their title fight to Indonesia
Martín leaves Japan with 333 points, while Marc Márquez has 331 after collecting the full 37 available at Motegi. The Aprilia rider finished second in both the Sprint and the Grand Prix, scoring 27 points across the weekend.
That means Márquez gained ten points in Japan, bringing the championship lead within reach before the riders even line up for Sunday’s Indonesian Grand Prix.
Saturday’s Sprint could change the order at the top: a win is worth 12 points, compared with nine for second place. If Márquez wins and Martín finishes second, the Ducati rider would move one point ahead.
Sunday then offers another 25 points to the winner. The complete championship standings after the Japanese Grand Prix show how closely the leading riders and manufacturers are matched heading to Mandalika.
MotoGP returns from 9–11 October at Mandalika for the Indonesian Grand Prix. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action throughout the weekend.
MotoGP today: FAQ
Who won the Japanese MotoGP race today?
Marc Márquez won the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, finishing 1.363s ahead of Jorge Martín. Marco Bezzecchi completed the podium, while Márquez secured a weekend double after also winning Saturday’s Sprint.
Who leads the MotoGP championship after the Japanese GP?
Jorge Martín remains the MotoGP championship leader with 333 points, just 2 ahead of Marc Márquez on 331. Márquez’s two victories in Japan reduced the gap from 12 points at the start of the weekend.
When is the next MotoGP race?
The next MotoGP race is the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika on Sunday, 11 October 2026. The weekend runs from 9–11 October.
