- The San Marino GP takes place at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli from September 11–13
- MotoGP qualifying is scheduled for Saturday morning, followed by the 13-lap Sprint at 3:00pm local time
- The main San Marino GP starts at 2:00pm local time on Sunday, September 13
MotoGP heads back to Italy this weekend for the 2026 San Marino Grand Prix, the 14th round of the season and one of the most important races of the championship.
MotoGP returns to Italy this weekend for the 2026 San Marino Grand Prix, the 14th round of the season and another crucial chapter in one of the closest title fights of the year.
The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli hosts the second Italian MotoGP round of the 2026 calendar, with Jorge Martín leading Marc Márquez by 19 points and Marco Bezzecchi by 24 heading into the weekend. Márquez arrives in Italy after taking the maximum 37 points available at Aragón, while Bezzecchi is preparing for his home race.
The full MotoGP championship standings underline how little room there is for error at the top of the table.
The San Marino GP runs from Friday, September 11 through Sunday, September 13, with the premier class on track for two sessions on Friday, qualifying and the Sprint on Saturday, and the main Grand Prix on Sunday.
San Marino GP 2026: full MotoGP schedule
All times below are for the MotoGP class.
Misano operates on Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2).
| Session | Date | Local time | US/ Canada ET | UK | India | Australia* | New Zealand* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FP1 | Friday, Sep. 11 | 10:45 | 04:45 | 09:45 | 14:15 | 18:45 | 20:45 |
| Practice | Friday, Sep. 11 | 15:00 | 09:00 | 14:00 | 18:30 | 23:00 | 01:00 Sat. |
| FP2 | Saturday, Sep. 12 | 10:10 | 04:10 | 09:10 | 13:40 | 18:10 | 20:10 |
| Q1 | Saturday, Sep. 12 | 10:50 | 04:50 | 09:50 | 14:20 | 18:50 | 20:50 |
| Q2 | Saturday, Sep. 12 | 11:15 | 05:15 | 10:15 | 14:45 | 19:15 | 21:15 |
| Sprint | Saturday, Sep. 12 | 15:00 | 09:00 | 14:00 | 18:30 | 23:00 | 01:00 Sun. |
| Warm-up | Sunday, Sep. 13 | 09:40 | 03:40 | 08:40 | 13:10 | 17:40 | 19:40 |
| San Marino GP | Sunday, Sep. 13 | 14:00 | 08:00 | 13:00 | 17:30 | 22:00 | 00:00 Mon. |
The official MotoGP schedule confirms the times above. The San Marino GP will run for 27 laps, covering 114.1 km.
*Australia and New Zealand times reflect the local time-zone configuration for September 2026.
What time is the San Marino MotoGP in the US?
For viewers in the United States and Canada on Eastern Time, the main San Marino GP starts at 8:00am ET on Sunday, September 13.
The Sprint starts at 9:00am ET on Saturday, while MotoGP qualifying begins at 4:50am, with Q2 at 5:15am.
For viewers on Pacific Time, the main race starts at 5:00am PT, with the Sprint at 6:00am PT.
What time is the San Marino MotoGP in the UK?
The main race starts at 1:00pm BST on Sunday, September 13.
Qualifying begins at 9:50am, with Q2 at 10:15am on Saturday. The Sprint follows at 2:00pm.
What time is the San Marino MotoGP in India?
For viewers in India, the main race starts at 5:30pm IST on Sunday.
The Sprint begins at 6:30pm on Saturday, while qualifying starts at 2:20pm, with Q2 at 2:45pm.
What time is the San Marino MotoGP in Australia?
For viewers in Sydney and eastern Australia, the main race starts at 10:00pm on Sunday.
The Sprint begins at 11:00pm on Saturday, while Q2 starts at 7:15pm.
What time is the San Marino MotoGP in New Zealand?
For viewers in New Zealand, the main race begins at midnight on Monday, September 14.
The Sprint starts at 1:00am on Sunday, while Q2 begins at 9:15pm on Saturday.
Why Misano matters so much in the 2026 title fight
The championship could hardly arrive at Misano in a more intriguing position.
Martín still holds the advantage, but Márquez has momentum after dominating Aragón. The Ducati rider won both the Sprint and the Grand Prix, collecting all 37 available points and cutting into the championship lead.
Márquez also has an impressive record at Misano, with six MotoGP victories at the circuit, including wins in the previous two seasons.
Bezzecchi, meanwhile, arrives at his home Grand Prix just 24 points behind Martín.
That makes Misano potentially decisive for the direction of the title fight.
The latest MotoGP championship analysis shows why the battle between Martín, Márquez and Bezzecchi has become the central story of the second half of the season.
What to watch at Misano
Jorge Martín’s response
Martín leaves Aragón with two fifth-place finishes and a reduced championship advantage.
The Aprilia rider still controls the standings, but Misano offers a very different challenge. He won both the Sprint and the Grand Prix at the circuit in 2023, meaning another strong weekend would allow him to reassert control over the championship.
Marc Márquez’s momentum
Márquez arrives as the rider with the strongest immediate form.
The seven-time MotoGP champion took maximum points at Aragón and has a chance to take the championship lead for the first time this season if the results fall his way at Misano.
Bezzecchi’s home advantage
Misano is Bezzecchi’s home race, and Aprilia will be looking for a response after losing ground to Márquez at Aragón.
The Italian is only five points behind Márquez and 24 behind Martín, making every session particularly important.
The Misano title-fight preview examines the balance between Márquez’s recent momentum and Bezzecchi’s home advantage.
Ducati versus Aprilia
The championship battle is also becoming a manufacturer fight.
Ducati remains a major force around Misano, but Aprilia has established itself as a genuine challenger, particularly through Bezzecchi and Martín.
The circuit is 4.23 km long, with 16 corners and a 530m longest straight. The MotoGP race is scheduled for 27 laps.
The fight behind the top three
Fabio Di Giannantonio remains within reach of the leading group, while other riders can still influence the championship through podiums, victories and points taken away from the main contenders.
That could make the Sprint especially important: with 12 points available for a victory on Saturday, the championship order can change before the main race even begins.
Who is missing at Misano?
Ai Ogura will not return at Misano as he continues to recover from his injury. MotoGP confirmed on September 9 that the Japanese rider remains sidelined for the San Marino GP.
Tech3 will also continue with Pol Espargaró in place of Maverick Viñales, who remains unavailable. Espargaró is set for his third appearance of the season.
San Marino GP 2026: session times at a glance
Friday, September 11
- MotoGP FP1 — 10:45 local / 04:45 ET / 09:45 BST
- MotoGP Practice — 15:00 local / 09:00 ET / 14:00 BST
Saturday, September 12
- MotoGP FP2 — 10:10 local / 04:10 ET / 09:10 BST
- Q1 — 10:50 local / 04:50 ET / 09:50 BST
- Q2 — 11:15 local / 05:15 ET / 10:15 BST
- MotoGP Sprint — 15:00 local / 09:00 ET / 14:00 BST
Sunday, September 13
- Warm-up — 09:40 local / 03:40 ET / 08:40 BST
- San Marino GP — 14:00 local / 08:00 ET / 13:00 BST
When is the 2026 San Marino MotoGP race?
The San Marino GP takes place on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
The MotoGP race starts at 2:00pm local time, 8:00am ET, 1:00pm BST, 5:30pm IST and 9:00am BRT.
The race is scheduled for 27 laps.
When is MotoGP qualifying at Misano?
MotoGP qualifying takes place on Saturday, September 12.
Q1 starts at 10:50am local time, followed by Q2 at 11:15am.
For viewers in the US Eastern Time zone, those sessions begin at 4:50am and 5:15am, respectively.
When is the 2026 San Marino MotoGP Sprint?
The 13-lap MotoGP Sprint starts at 3:00pm local time on Saturday, September 12.
That is 9:00am ET, 2:00pm BST, 6:30pm IST and 10:00am BRT.
FAQs
Where is the San Marino MotoGP held?
The San Marino GP is held at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Misano Adriatico, Italy.
What time does the San Marino MotoGP start?
The 2026 San Marino GP starts at 2:00pm local time on Sunday, September 13. That is 8:00am ET, 1:00pm BST, 5:30pm IST and 9:00am BRT.
Who leads the 2026 MotoGP championship before Misano?
Jorge Martín leads the championship with 256 points, followed by Marc Márquez on 237 and Marco Bezzecchi on 232. Martín therefore holds a 19-point advantage over Márquez and 24 points over Bezzecchi.
