MotoGP is back this week after an unexpected break in the calendar. With the Qatar Grand Prix being postponed until November, riders have had a four week break since being on track at COTA. But this week MotoGP returns and heads to Jerez for the Estrella Galicia 0.0 Grand Prix of Spain. It starts a summer of racing on home soil for many on the grid.
Last year, Álex Márquez stormed from the second row of the grid to take a dominant maiden victory. Polesitter Fabio Quartararo initially got a good start off the line, whilst the Ducati Lenovo Team pairing of Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Márquez battled behind. Lap 3 saw M. Márquez slide out in Turn 8, allowing both Bagnaia and his brother to close in on Quartararo. After taking the lead on Lap 11, the BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP rider was unstoppable, finally achieving his first win with a 1.561 second lead. In contrast, his brother was able to salvage points, rejoining the race and making his way up to finish P12. Whilst not ideal for the older brother, the four points he achieved proved crucial, leaving the pairing separated in the standings by a single point.
But it wasn’t just MotoGP that was action-packed. After starting on pole, Manuel González led the Moto2 race from start to finish. The dominant victory allowed him to overtake fellow Spaniard, Arón Canet, and retake the championship lead. In Moto3, it was a third victory of the year for José Antonio Rueda. His 4.336 second lead also saw him retake the championship lead from second-place finisher Ángel Piqueras.
Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto
The Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto is a benchmark track for motorcycle racing. Balancing high-speed and low-speed throughout the 13 corners makes it the perfect circuit to test all aspects of the bikes. Consequently, many teams from MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3 use it as a testing facility throughout the year. And with its long history, it has become one of the most popular tracks on the calendar.
The track itself is 2.75-miles long, and is located in Jerez de la Frontera in Seville, Spain. Built in 1986, it joined the MotoGP calendar the following year and quickly became a staple event. From flowing sections to tight corners, the circuit provides a little bit of everything, creating an exciting event to tune into. It also honours the Spanish riders, with plenty of iconic names having corners honoured to them. The Turn 6 and 13 hairpins have been named in honour of Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo. Whereas the sweeping Turn 8 is in honour of Jorge Martínez.
It’s not just the turns that honour riders though. Following his death in 2017, organisers renamed the track in honour of Ángel Nieto. The former rider raced from 1964 to 1986 in a range of classes. Achieving 13 championships in his career, he’s regarded as one of the most successful riders. Nieto holds the most wins for the Spanish Grand Prix, although Valentino Rossi holds the most wins at this specific track. Last year’s pole lap for Quartararo also saw him set a new lap record of 1:35.610.
From Overseas to Europe
With Qatar postponed until November, Jerez now serves as the fourth round of the 2026 championship. Marco Bezzecchi and Aprilia Racing have been unbeatable on Sundays, taking all three feature race wins. This feat saw him join M. Márquez and Rossi as the only riders in the modern MotoGP era to take five consecutive wins. In contrast, Saturday’s are a different story. So far, each sprint race has seen a new winner. The Aprilia duo are leading the championship and four points separate them, with Bezzecchi narrowly ahead. After a revision surgery, Maverick Viñales will be missing the race to focus on his recovery.
Moto2 has been a close battle, but its races have been marred by red flags and incidents. Just like last year, González holds the lead of the championship a mere three and a half points ahead of Izan Guevara. Each race has seen a different rider take the win, demonstrating the competitive nature of the series.
However, the biggest championship lead comes in Moto3. Máximo Quiles leads the standings with 23 points over Álvaro Carpe. Whilst, like Moto2, each track has seen a new rider win, the CFMoto Aspar Team rider has not been off the podium yet this year. After speculation in 2025 of what he could do, Quiles is now showing everyone.
Schedule
The schedule for the weekend is as follows. Please note, all times are in CEST.
After an unexpected break, it’s time for the bikes to head back to track. Many riders have used this time to rest and recuperate, will that see someone mount a challenge at Bezzecchi come Sunday? It’s still early in the season but so far the Italian is looking like the man to beat. M. Márquez will be hungry to take a win after his crash, but he is yet to look comfortable on the new Desmosedici GP26. Is that a sign that Ducati have fallen back, or is the championship defender not back to 100%?
Jerez is the start of many home races for the riders as it starts the European summer for the series. With eight Spanish riders on the grid, will one of them take a home win and halt Bezzecchi? Whatever happens is anyone’s guess, but, in Jerez, you’re guarunteed an action-packed race. Make sure you tune in to watch.