News Summary
- The next MotoGP race after Phillip Island is the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at Sepang International Circuit.
- The race is provisionally scheduled to begin at 15:00 Malaysian time, equivalent to 07:00 GMT in the UK, 12:30 IST in India and 18:00 AEDT in Sydney and Melbourne.
- Malaysia is the 19th round of the 2026 championship, followed by Qatar, Portugal and Valencia, with the title battle between Jorge Martín, Marc Márquez and Marco Bezzecchi entering its decisive phase.
The next MotoGP race after the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island is the Malaysian Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday, November 1, 2026, at Sepang International Circuit, with the championship travelling directly from Australia to Southeast Asia for the 19th round of the season.
The Malaysian weekend takes place from Friday, October 30, to Sunday, November 1, with practice on Friday, qualifying and the sprint on Saturday, and the main Grand Prix on Sunday. The provisional timetable lists the race start at 15:00 local time in Malaysia, corresponding to 07:00 GMT in the United Kingdom, 12:30 IST in India and 18:00 AEDT in Sydney and Melbourne.
The race comes one week after Phillip Island’s final scheduled MotoGP event before the Australian Grand Prix relocates to Adelaide in 2027. The championship then moves to Qatar, Portugal and Valencia for the remaining rounds of the season.
When is the next MotoGP race after Phillip Island?
The 2026 Malaysian MotoGP Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, November 1, exactly seven days after the Australian Grand Prix.
Sepang will host the championship from October 30 to November 1, continuing its long association with international motorcycle racing.
The Malaysian circuit has been a permanent fixture of the MotoGP calendar since 1999, when it replaced the Shah Alam circuit as the country’s Grand Prix venue.
Located approximately 50km south of Kuala Lumpur, Sepang is one of the most physically demanding circuits in the championship because of its combination of high temperatures, humidity, long straights and heavy braking zones.
The event will also be important for the 2026 championship battle.
Before Phillip Island, Jorge Martín leads Marc Márquez by two points, with Marco Bezzecchi 46 points behind the championship leader.
The standings entering Malaysia will depend on the results of the Australian sprint and Grand Prix.
What time is the 2026 Malaysian MotoGP race?
The Malaysian Grand Prix is provisionally scheduled to begin at 15:00 Malaysia Time (MYT) on Sunday, November 1.
Malaysia operates on UTC+8 throughout the year and does not observe daylight saving time.
| Country / City | Local date | Race start |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia — Kuala Lumpur / Sepang (MYT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 15:00 |
| Singapore (SGT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 15:00 |
| India — New Delhi (IST) | Sun, Nov 1 | 12:30 |
| Thailand — Bangkok (ICT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 14:00 |
| Indonesia — Jakarta (WIB) | Sun, Nov 1 | 14:00 |
| United Kingdom — London (GMT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 07:00 |
| Ireland — Dublin (GMT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 07:00 |
| South Africa — Johannesburg (SAST) | Sun, Nov 1 | 09:00 |
| Brazil — Brasília (BRT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 04:00 |
| United States — New York (EST) | Sun, Nov 1 | 02:00 |
| United States — Chicago (CDT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 02:00 |
| United States — Los Angeles (PDT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 00:00 |
| Canada — Toronto (EST) | Sun, Nov 1 | 02:00 |
| Canada — Vancouver (PDT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 00:00 |
| Australia — Perth (AWST) | Sun, Nov 1 | 15:00 |
| Australia — Brisbane (AEST) | Sun, Nov 1 | 17:00 |
| Australia — Sydney / Melbourne (AEDT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 18:00 |
| New Zealand — Auckland (NZDT) | Sun, Nov 1 | 20:00 |
Times are converted from the provisional 15:00 MYT race start. North America changes from daylight saving time on November 1, creating different time-zone conditions during the race weekend. The schedule remains subject to official confirmation.
Malaysian MotoGP 2026: Full weekend schedule
The Sepang International Circuit has published a provisional programme covering all three world championship categories.
MotoGP riders will begin their preparations on Friday, October 30, with the first free-practice session followed by the afternoon Practice session that determines direct qualification for Q2.
Saturday features a second free-practice session, two qualifying sessions and the sprint.
Sunday’s programme includes the warm-up and the three main races.
| Session | Date | Sepang (MYT) | UK (GMT) | India (IST) | Brasília (BRT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MotoGP FP1 | Fri, Oct 30 | 10:45 | 02:45 | 08:15 | Thu 23:45 |
| MotoGP Practice | Fri, Oct 30 | 15:00 | 07:00 | 12:30 | 04:00 |
| MotoGP FP2 | Sat, Oct 31 | 10:10 | 02:10 | 07:40 | Fri 23:10 |
| MotoGP Q1 | Sat, Oct 31 | 10:50 | 02:50 | 08:20 | Fri 23:50 |
| MotoGP Q2 | Sat, Oct 31 | 11:15 | 03:15 | 08:45 | Sat 00:15 |
| MotoGP sprint | Sat, Oct 31 | 15:00 | 07:00 | 12:30 | 04:00 |
| MotoGP warm-up | Sun, Nov 1 | 10:40 | 02:40 | 08:10 | Sat 23:40 |
| MotoGP race | Sun, Nov 1 | 15:00 | 07:00 | 12:30 | 04:00 |
All times are provisional. The local race timetable should be checked again before the event.
The qualifying sessions will establish the grid for both Saturday’s sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
The ten fastest riders from Friday afternoon’s Practice advance directly to Q2, while the remaining competitors must participate in Q1.
The two fastest riders from Q1 progress to the final qualifying session, where pole position is decided.
What time is the Malaysian MotoGP sprint?
The Malaysian MotoGP sprint is provisionally scheduled for Saturday, October 31, at 15:00 local time in Sepang.
The session begins at 07:00 GMT in the United Kingdom, 12:30 IST in India and 18:00 AEDT in Sydney and Melbourne.
| Country / City | Local date | Sprint start |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia — Sepang (MYT) | Sat, Oct 31 | 15:00 |
| United Kingdom — London (GMT) | Sat, Oct 31 | 07:00 |
| India — New Delhi (IST) | Sat, Oct 31 | 12:30 |
| Australia — Sydney (AEDT) | Sat, Oct 31 | 18:00 |
| New Zealand — Auckland (NZDT) | Sat, Oct 31 | 20:00 |
| United States — New York (EDT) | Sat, Oct 31 | 03:00 |
| United States — Los Angeles (PDT) | Sat, Oct 31 | 00:00 |
| Brazil — Brasília (BRT) | Sat, Oct 31 | 04:00 |
The sprint offers a maximum of 12 championship points, with points awarded to the first nine finishers.
Sunday’s Grand Prix awards 25 points to the winner, meaning a rider can collect up to 37 points across the Malaysian weekend.
That total could prove decisive if the championship battle remains close after Phillip Island.
How many laps is the Malaysian MotoGP race?
The 2026 Malaysian Grand Prix is listed for 20 laps of the 5.543km Sepang International Circuit, covering a total race distance of approximately 110.86km.
| Category | Laps | Race distance |
|---|---|---|
| MotoGP | 20 | 110.86km |
| Moto2 | 17 | 94.23km |
| Moto3 | 15 | 83.15km |
The circuit features 15 corners, including ten right-handers and five left-handers, with a 920-metre straight.
The layout is particularly demanding because of its long acceleration zones and heavy braking areas.
Sepang also places considerable pressure on tyres, with high track temperatures and long corners increasing thermal loads.
Riders must manage tyre degradation carefully, particularly during the second half of Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Why is Sepang one of MotoGP’s toughest circuits?
Sepang is one of the championship’s most physically demanding venues because of the combination of heat, humidity and high-speed sections.
Air temperatures regularly exceed 30°C, while the track surface can become significantly hotter.
The conditions place substantial demands on riders, who must maintain concentration and physical strength throughout the race.
The circuit also includes several opportunities for overtaking, particularly at the end of its two long straights.
The braking zones at Turns 1 and 15 are among the most important locations for passing.
The final corner is particularly significant because riders must balance braking stability with acceleration onto the main straight.
Sepang’s width also allows different racing lines, creating opportunities for riders to attack and defend during close battles.
However, the weather can change quickly, with tropical rainstorms capable of interrupting sessions or forcing teams to adapt their strategies.
The circuit has previously produced unpredictable races in both dry and wet conditions.
Martín, Márquez and Bezzecchi enter decisive title phase
The Malaysian Grand Prix arrives at a critical stage of the championship.
Before the Australian round, Martín leads Márquez by just two points, with Bezzecchi third.
| Position | Rider | Points before Australia | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J. MARTÍN | 355 | — |
| 2 | M. MÁRQUEZ | 353 | -2 |
| 3 | M. BEZZECCHI | 309 | -46 |
These standings are from after the Indonesian Grand Prix. They must be updated following Phillip Island before publication of any post-Australia version.
The narrow difference between Martín and Márquez means the championship lead could change during the Australian sprint or Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Bezzecchi remains mathematically involved but needs to recover points during the remaining events.
The Phillip Island title permutations explain what each contender needs during the Australian weekend.
Malaysia could then become another decisive round because 37 points will be available before the championship travels to Qatar.
The exact mathematical scenarios for Sepang will depend on the results at Phillip Island.
Which riders could miss the Malaysian MotoGP?
Several riders are dealing with injuries ahead of the closing rounds of the season.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu has already been ruled out for the remainder of 2026, after Yamaha confirmed that the Pramac rider requires shoulder surgery.
The injury ended Razgatlıoğlu’s rookie MotoGP season early, with Augusto Fernández called up as his replacement.
Joan Mir is another rider whose availability remains uncertain.
Honda confirmed that the Spaniard would miss the Australian Grand Prix because of continuing health problems and would not be replaced at Phillip Island.
His participation in Malaysia has not been confirmed.
The manufacturer will continue evaluating his condition before determining when he can return.
Fermín Aldeguer has also been recovering from a hand injury, with Iker Lecuona replacing him at the Australian Grand Prix.
His availability for Sepang will depend on his recovery and medical clearance.
The final Malaysian entry list may therefore differ from the line-up competing at Phillip Island.
Where to watch the Malaysian MotoGP live
MotoGP coverage varies according to broadcasting rights in each country.
| Market | TV / streaming options |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | TNT Sports / eligible streaming packages |
| India | FanCode |
| Australia | Fox Sports / Foxtel / Kayo Sports |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport |
| United States | Official MotoGP broadcast partners / VideoPass where available |
| Canada | Authorised local broadcaster / VideoPass where available |
| Malaysia | Local authorised broadcasters / MotoGP VideoPass where available |
Broadcasters and subscription arrangements should be checked against the official MotoGP listings for Malaysia before publication.
MotoGP VideoPass provides an additional streaming option in supported territories, including access to live sessions and replays.
The Malaysian Grand Prix is particularly well positioned for viewers in India, Australia and New Zealand because of its afternoon start in Southeast Asia.
British viewers can watch Sunday’s race at 07:00 GMT.
What races remain after the Malaysian GP?
After Sepang, three Grands Prix are scheduled to remain in the 2026 MotoGP season.
| Grand Prix | Circuit | Race date |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | Sepang | November 1 |
| Qatar | Lusail | November 8 |
| Portugal | Portimão | November 22 |
| Valencia | Ricardo Tormo | November 29 |
The Qatar Grand Prix remains subject to particular attention because of security concerns in the Middle East.
Any cancellation or further postponement could affect the number of championship points available during the final part of the season.
Portugal and Valencia are scheduled to conclude the championship in consecutive weekends.
Why does Malaysia remain on the MotoGP calendar?
Sepang has been one of MotoGP’s principal Asian venues since opening in 1999.
The circuit has hosted major championship battles and is also used extensively for preseason testing because of its demanding layout and weather conditions.
In June 2026, MotoGP announced a new five-year agreement securing the Malaysian Grand Prix from 2027 through 2031.
The extension guarantees that Sepang will remain part of the championship during the transition to the new 850cc technical regulations and Pirelli tyres in 2027.
Malaysia therefore remains a strategically important venue for MotoGP’s presence in Southeast Asia.
