The 2026 MotoGP season kicks off with the Thailand Grand Prix from February 27 to March 1 at the Buriram circuit. Fans will be closely following top contenders Marc Márquez, Marco Bezzecchi, and Álex Márquez as they compete to claim early victories. Last year, Marc Márquez dominated the season riding for Ducati Lenovo, securing the championship with several races remaining.
In pre-season testing, Álex Márquez demonstrated promising performance with Gresini Racing, while Marco Bezzecchi stood out as a significant challenger after breaking a lap record at the Thai track. This sets the stage for an exciting competition as riders vie to challenge Marc Márquez’s recent supremacy.
Schedule and Key Timing Details for the Thailand Grand Prix
Due to time zone differences, the practice and qualifying sessions will take place very early in the morning Central European Time (CET), whereas the race events on Saturday and Sunday will begin at 9 AM CET, 8 AM GMT. This allows European audiences to watch the key races at convenient times.
The detailed schedule is as follows:
- Friday, February 27
Free Practice 1: 04:45 – 05:30 CET (03:45 GMT) - Saturday, February 28
Free Practice 2: 04:10 – 04:40 CET (03:10 GMT)
Qualifying 1: 04:50 – 05:50 CET (03:50 GMT)
Qualifying 2: 05:15 – 05:30 CET (04:15 GMT)
Sprint Race: 09:00 CET (08:00 GMT) - Sunday, March 1
Moto3 Race: 06:00 CET (05:00 GMT)
Moto2 Race: 07:15 CET (06:15 GMT)
MotoGP Race: 09:00 CET (08:00 GMT)
Broadcast Options Across Europe for MotoGP 2026
Fans across Europe can follow the MotoGP 2026 Thailand GP live on various broadcasters, which differ by country. This wide coverage ensures access to all race sessions including practice, qualifiers, and the main events.
- Austria: Sky, Servus TV
- Balkans (Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro): Arena Sports
- Baltic states (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia): 3 Sport
- Belgium: PlaySports, RTBF
- Bulgaria: Max Sport
- Croatia: Sportklub
- Cyprus: Cyta Vision
- Czechia: Nova Sport6
- Denmark: 3 Sport
- Finland: Viaplay
- France: Canal+
- Germany: Sky, Red Bull, DF1
- Greece: Cosmote TV
- Hungary: 4 Arena
- Italy: Sky, Canala 8
- Netherlands: Zigo Sport, NOS
- Norway: Sport3
- Poland: Polsat Sport
- Portugal: Sport TV
- Romania: Prima Sport 3
- Spain: DAZN
- Sweden: Sport Motor
- United Kingdom: TNT Sports
Watching the First Race Weekend of MotoGP 2026
The Thailand GP marks the beginning of an anticipated season stretching through 22 race weekends until November. The competition will focus heavily on whether anyone can halt Marc Márquez’s reign after his dominant performance last year. Marco Bezzecchi’s recent lap record suggests he may offer a strong challenge, with Álex Márquez also aiming to make an impact for Gresini Racing.
With clear race times and multiple broadcast options across Europe, fans can easily follow the unfolding drama live. This early season race will provide important insights into how the 2026 championship race might develop and which riders are best positioned to contest the title.
