MotoGP 2026
Round 15 – Red Bull Ring
Marc Marquez has erased a 102-point deficit in seven rounds. Now he heads to the Red Bull Ring level with Jorge Martin at the top of the championship, with the Aprilia men facing another weekend trying to halt a charge that has transformed the 2026 MotoGP title fight.
Marquez and Martin arrive in Austria on 274 points apiece, with Marc ahead on Grand Prix wins. Marco Bezzecchi is 33 points behind after crashing out of the lead on the opening lap at Misano. Eight rounds remain, starting with the Austrian Grand Prix over September 18-20, before the championship heads to Japan.
There is plenty happening further down the field, too. Ai Ogura is targeting his return with Trackhouse, subject to medical clearance; Takaaki Nakagami replaces the unwell Joan Mir; and Jack Miller gets another opportunity to see whether the setup progress found at Misano can translate into a stronger race.
Spanish riders filled the first six places in the MotoGP race at Misano and swept the Moto3 podium, with only Moto2 breaking the pattern thanks to Dutchman Collin Veijer and Belgian Barry Baltus joining winner Manuel Gonzalez on the rostrum. Australia’s representatives head to Austria with reasons for encouragement: Jack Miller has Yamaha setup gains to validate, Senna Agius has his MotoGP future secured and the pace to put his Misano misfortune behind him, while Joel Kelso is showing promising progress in Moto3.
Can Aprilia stop Marc’s charge?
Misano illustrated how quickly this championship has turned. Bezzecchi had the speed to lead but fell at Turn 13 on the first lap. Martin subsequently passed Marquez for the lead, only to slip to fifth as arm pump compromised his race. Marc, meanwhile, completed another Sprint and Grand Prix double.
Aprilia has the pace to make this a fight. What it now needs is a weekend in which that pace translates into points, with both riders seeing out the opening laps and maintaining their challenge through to the chequered flag.
The Red Bull Ring offers little respite for Martin’s recent arm pump troubles. Repeated heavy braking and hard acceleration make this a demanding place to manage an issue that already hurt him at Misano. For Bezzecchi, the priority is converting speed into results after another expensive early exit.
Ducati’s record further encourages Marquez. The manufacturer has nine Austrian Grand Prix victories, including Marc’s first win there last year. Francesco Bagnaia has won the Austrian GP three times and needs a response after crashing out at Misano.
Alex Marquez arrives with renewed confidence after pushing his brother throughout the San Marino Grand Prix, climbing from ninth on the grid to second. Gresini team-mate Fermin Aldeguer backed that up with fourth, giving Ducati several potential contenders beyond the championship leader.
Fabio Di Giannantonio remains fourth in the standings on 223 points, 51 from the lead. The VR46 rider is seeking his first Sunday podium since winning in Catalunya, while Franco Morbidelli hopes the Ducati’s established strengths in Austria will help him build on recent progress.
Miller needs race miles to confirm progress
For Jack Miller, the quick turnaround offers a chance to finish the job that was cut short at Misano. The Australian felt the team had found a more promising setup direction, but his early race exit denied him the mileage needed to properly judge it over a Grand Prix distance.
That makes Austria about more than simply recovering from a disappointing result. Miller needs to establish whether the changes improve his relationship with the Yamaha when the tyres wear and the race develops, rather than only during shorter runs.
Jack Miller
“Looking forward to getting back to Austria. Obviously, after a difficult weekend in Misano, we worked really hard with the team to try to find a good setting. Unfortunately, a small mistake in the race ended our weekend early, so I’m looking forward to bouncing back in Austria.
“Hopefully we can arrive with some more energy, have a better relationship with both the bike and the track, and keep working to improve. It’s a circuit I know well, so the goal is to get comfortable with the bike straight away and see what we can put together.”
Pramac team director Gino Borsoi has confirmed further upgrades for the Austrian round. He also cautioned that the circuit’s engine demands could expose the Yamaha, making this a useful test of whether the recent setup gains carry across to a very different layout.
Miller knows the place well and stood on the podium here in 2022. Team-mate Toprak Razgatlioglu has older Red Bull Rookies Cup experience at the venue but faces his first visit on a MotoGP bike, with a stronger Friday and better qualifying central to his plans.
In the factory Yamaha camp, Fabio Quartararo aims to build on tenth at Misano. Alex Rins is recovering from the migraine and severe nausea that ended his San Marino race early, and approaches his final Austrian GP following his announced retirement from professional racing.
Ogura targets return before home Grand Prix
Ai Ogura travels to Austria after surgery and intensive rehabilitation for the fractured left thumb suffered in a motocross training accident in Japan. He missed Aragon and Misano and must pass Thursday’s mandatory medical assessment before returning to his Trackhouse Aprilia.
Despite those absences, Ogura remains sixth in the championship on 203 points, four ahead of team-mate Raul Fernandez. Austria offers an opportunity to rebuild his confidence and fitness before his home Grand Prix at Motegi.
Ai Ogura
“I’m feeling good. I think the hand situation is better than I expected a week ago. For sure, I’m excited to get back. I just want to start the weekend and see how much we can do and how we are. Nothing special. I just want to have a normal weekend.”
Ogura won here in Moto2 in 2022 but is realistic about an immediate return to podium contention after a month away from the bike. Fernandez, sixth at Misano after retiring at Aragon, is also looking to recover the form that delivered victory at Silverstone.
Fernandez has a Moto2 victory at the Red Bull Ring to his name, too, having beaten Ogura in 2021. However, the Spaniard acknowledges that adapting his riding to this circuit remains a challenge and plans to build his weekend session by session.
Nakagami steps in as Mir undergoes further tests
Joan Mir will miss Austria on medical advice after withdrawing from Sunday’s Misano race. Subsequent checks in Barcelona revealed altered blood-test parameters requiring further investigation. Honda has not announced a clear diagnosis, with Mir resting and undergoing additional tests as he targets a return in Japan.
Honda development rider Takaaki Nakagami takes his place alongside Luca Marini. Fresh from testing at Mugello, Nakagami will use the weekend to reacquaint himself with the RC213V and Michelin tyres ahead of his planned Motegi wildcard. He was already scheduled to take part in Monday’s post-race test in Austria.
Marini, meanwhile, has scored points in every Sunday race this season. Ninth at Misano, the Italian wants to repeat the improved qualifying performance that helped put him in a position to fight for another solid result.
LCR pair Johann Zarco and Diogo Moreira are also seeking a response after leaving Misano without Sunday points. Moreira won the Moto2 race in Austria last year, although translating that success to the premier class presents a very different task.
Acosta carries KTM’s home hopes
Pedro Acosta arrives at KTM’s home round with consecutive podiums from Aragon and Misano. Only Marquez and Martin have scored more points across the last four Grands Prix, making Acosta an obvious threat as he continues chasing his first premier-class Grand Prix victory.
Brad Binder has put together nine consecutive Sunday points finishes and knows how to deliver something extraordinary here, having won the 2021 Austrian GP after staying on slicks as rain transformed the closing laps.
At Tech3, Pol Espargaro again substitutes for Maverick Vinales alongside Enea Bastianini. It will be Espargaro’s fourth consecutive appearance, with the team hoping Vinales can return in Japan. Bastianini heads to Austria after finishing eighth at Misano and putting in his fastest lap on the final lap of the race.
Tyres, weather and the chicane
Hard braking, acceleration and rear-tyre management will shape the weekend. Michelin is bringing Soft and Medium front slicks, plus asymmetric Soft and Medium rears with a reinforced right shoulder and reinforced casing to help control temperature. The rear construction matches what was used in Brazil earlier this season.
The early forecast points to predominantly dry running during the main sessions, with a greater chance of light rain later on Friday and Saturday. Afternoon air temperatures are expected to rise from around 18 degrees on Friday to 20 on Saturday and 23 on Sunday. Forecast track temperatures climb from the high 20s on Friday towards the high 30s for the Grand Prix, giving teams a changing target across the weekend.
Race Direction has also clarified the consequences of cutting the Turn 2A/2B chicane. During a race, a rider who shortcuts that section must record a time at least one second slower than their previous best through the monitored sector and immediately return any positions gained, or risk a Long Lap penalty. Stewards retain discretion for incidents, changing conditions and the opening lap.
The Long Lap route is at Turn 1, with a three-second equivalent time penalty where the regulations require one. The old Turn 2 layout is closed.
For Australian viewers, Saturday’s 14-lap MotoGP Sprint starts at 2300 AEST, with Sunday’s 28-lap Grand Prix at 2200 AEST.
2026 MotoGP Championship Standings
 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Pos | Rider | Points |
|
1
|
M. Marquez
|
274
|
|
2
|
J. Martin
|
274
|
|
3
|
M. Bezzecchi
|
241
|
|
4
|
F. Di Giannantonio
|
223
|
|
5
|
P. Acosta
|
209
|
|
6
|
A. Ogura
|
203
|
|
7
|
R. Fernandez
|
199
|
|
8
|
A. Marquez
|
153
|
|
9
|
F. Bagnaia
|
143
|
|
10
|
F. Aldeguer
|
105
|
|
11
|
L. Marini
|
96
|
|
12
|
E. Bastianini
|
92
|
|
13
|
B. Binder
|
83
|
|
14
|
D. Moreira
|
64
|
|
15
|
F. Quartararo
|
61
|
|
16
|
F. Morbidelli
|
56
|
|
17
|
J. Zarco
|
36
|
|
18
|
J. Mir
|
33
|
|
19
|
J. Miller
|
28
|
|
20
|
A. Rins
|
24
|
|
21
|
T. Razgatlioglu
|
18
|
|
22
|
M. Viñales
|
10
|
|
23
|
I. Lecuona
|
9
|
|
24
|
A. Fernandez
|
6
|
|
25
|
P. Espargaro
|
5
|
Moto2
Senna Agius heads to Austria with his MotoGP future secured and unfinished business in Moto2 after his Misano pole position ended in a first-corner retirement.
Tech3 has confirmed the Australian will join its premier-class line-up alongside Luca Marini in 2027. Before that move, however, Agius has eight races remaining with Intact GP and a championship top-three finish firmly within reach.
Agius looks to turn pace into points
Misano offered another demonstration of Agius’ speed, but no reward on Sunday. Angel Piqueras made contact with Daniel Holgado entering the first corner, with polesitter Agius caught in the resulting crash. The entire front row was taken out of contention before the race had properly begun.
That left Agius fourth in the standings on 149 points, 8.5 behind Ivan Ortola and 83.5 behind team-mate Manuel Gonzalez. The title deficit is substantial, but the immediate task is straightforward: reproduce the pace shown in Italy and convert it into a full race at the front.
The MotoGP announcement adds another dimension to the weekend. Agius has progressed from the 2023 Moto2 European Championship title with Intact’s junior operation to Grand Prix wins and now a confirmed place in the premier class. His current team has made clear that it still has big ambitions for their remaining races together.
Gonzalez takes back control
Gonzalez’s Misano victory, his first since Hungary, increased his championship lead over Izan Guevara from 32.5 to 47.5 points. With 232.5 points to Guevara’s 185, the Intact GP rider has regained breathing room heading into Austria.
Guevara’s sixth at Misano was a useful recovery from 14th on the grid after a six-place penalty, but it could not prevent further ground being lost. The Pramac Yamaha rider believes the Red Bull Ring’s stop-start character and heavy braking zones should suit his strengths.
Izan Guevara
“Now we arrive in Austria, and I think it is a circuit that should suit us very well. It is very much a stop-and-go track, with a lot of hard braking, and I think those characteristics are quite close to my riding style. So, I’m looking forward to the weekend and hopefully we can enjoy it while trying to recover some of the points we lost in Misano.”
His team is similarly encouraged by its underlying speed, with team manager Alex De Angelis identifying cleaner qualifying execution as a priority after mistakes compromised both riders in Italy.
Guevara’s team-mate Alberto Ferrandez continues recovering from a left-hand injury. The hand has improved since Misano, although Austria’s repeated heavy braking will provide a demanding physical test.
The chasing pack
Ortola’s fourth at Misano lifted him to third in the championship on 157.5 points. Behind Agius, David Alonso has 139 and Holgado 137, leaving the battle behind the leading pair closely contested.
Collin Veijer also arrives with renewed confidence after finishing second at Misano, his first podium since Jerez. Barry Baltus completed that podium despite serving a Long Lap penalty, while Fantic team-mate Tony Arbolino charged from 16th to fifth for his best result of the season.
Celestino Vietti and Alonso Lopez remain part of a broad group capable of complicating the championship contenders’ weekend. With Austria offering repeated opportunities to attack under brakes, qualifying position will help, but race execution and avoiding penalties could prove just as decisive.
The 23-lap Moto2 Grand Prix starts at 2015 AEST on Sunday.
Moto2 Championship Standings
 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Pos
|
Rider | Points |
|
1
|
M. Gonzalez
|
232.5
|
|
2
|
I. Guevara
|
185
|
|
3
|
I. Ortola
|
157.5
|
|
4
|
S. Agius
|
149
|
|
5
|
D. Alonso
|
139
|
|
6
|
D. Holgado
|
137
|
|
7
|
C. Vietti
|
123
|
|
8
|
F. Salac
|
108
|
|
9
|
A. Lopez
|
100.5
|
|
10
|
C. Veijer
|
75.5
|
|
11
|
D. Muñoz
|
63
|
|
12
|
A. Escrig
|
63
|
|
13
|
T. Arbolino
|
53.5
|
|
14
|
B. Baltus
|
52
|
|
15
|
J. Roberts
|
43
|
|
16
|
A. Huertas
|
37
|
|
17
|
D. Öncü
|
31.5
|
|
18
|
J. Rueda
|
27
|
|
19
|
A. Sasaki
|
19
|
|
20
|
A. Ferrandez
|
17.5
|
|
21
|
L. Lunetta
|
17
|
|
22
|
T. Furusato
|
15
|
|
23
|
A. Canet
|
14.5
|
|
24
|
Z. vd Goorbergh
|
12
|
|
25
|
S. Garcia
|
11
|
|
26
|
A. Piqueras
|
4
|
|
27
|
M. Aji
|
3
|
Moto3
Joel Kelso heads to the Red Bull Ring with encouraging signs of progress, while Maximo Quiles arrives with a commanding 107-point championship lead after another victory at Misano.
The Australian finished seventh in San Marino, leading the Honda contingent and spending the race in the group fighting behind the podium trio. Frustration remained, with a mid-race mistake costing ground, but the performance provides a useful platform for Austria.
Kelso looks to build on recent gains
Kelso was in the leading mix through the early stages at Misano before the field separated into two groups. His mistake at the start of lap ten dropped him to seventh, and he eventually finished behind Matteo Bertelle, Valentin Perrone and Rico Salmela in the fight for fourth.
That leaves the GRYD Racing rider 12th in the championship on 62 points, only two behind Adrian Cruces and eight behind Salmela in tenth.
The next step is to turn those promising gains into a race in which he stays closer to the podium fight throughout. Austria’s hard braking zones offer opportunities to make a difference, while its acceleration sections will test how well Kelso and the Honda can maintain position against the KTM-mounted opposition.
Quiles keeps finding a way
Quiles has won both races since breaking his collarbone, with his eighth victory of the season coming by just 0.021 seconds at Misano. David Almansa led throughout, only for Quiles to snatch the win on the run from the final corner to the finish line.
The result underlined why Quiles has built such a large advantage. Even when another rider controls the race, the Aspar youngster remains close enough to punish the smallest opportunity.
Quiles now has 281 points to Almansa’s 174. Almansa has moved into second in the standings with three consecutive podiums, but needs to start beating the championship leader if he is to apply meaningful pressure over the remaining eight rounds.
Alvaro Carpe slipped to third on 159 after a costly Misano weekend. Penalties left him starting 21st, and an opening-lap crash effectively ended his race. His Ajo team-mate Brian Uriarte is only five points behind after securing his fourth podium of an impressive rookie campaign.
Marco Morelli rounds out the top five on 138 points, ahead of Perrone on 114. Bertelle’s fourth at Misano and the pace of the Tech3 pairing of Perrone and Salmela add further depth to the group trying to challenge Quiles and Almansa.
Cruces is another rider carrying momentum into Austria after charging from 24th to eighth at Misano. The CIP Green Power rider has now recorded consecutive top-ten finishes, keeping him just ahead of Kelso in the championship.
Munoz hopes to return
Intact GP is also hoping to welcome David Munoz back after his lengthy absence following a serious injury in Hungary. He must pass Thursday’s medical assessment before riding, with David Gonzalez ready to continue as his replacement if required.
Munoz finished third at the Red Bull Ring last year, but his immediate task will be getting back into the rhythm of a Grand Prix weekend.
The 20-lap Moto3 race starts at 1900 AEST on Sunday, opening the day’s three Grand Prix races.
Moto3 Championship Standings
 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Pos
|
Rider | Points |
|
1
|
M. Quiles
|
281
|
|
2
|
D. Almansa
|
174
|
|
3
|
A. Carpe
|
159
|
|
4
|
B. Uriarte
|
154
|
|
5
|
M. Morelli
|
138
|
|
6
|
V. Perrone
|
114
|
|
7
|
V. Pratama
|
97
|
|
8
|
H. Danish
|
94
|
|
9
|
M. Bertelle
|
84
|
|
10
|
R. Salmela
|
70
|
|
11
|
A. Cruces
|
64
|
|
12
|
J. Kelso
|
62
|
|
13
|
G. Pini
|
59
|
|
14
|
A. Fernandez
|
59
|
|
15
|
J. Esteban
|
59
|
|
16
|
C. O’Gorman
|
59
|
|
17
|
D. Muñoz
|
52
|
|
18
|
E. O’Shea
|
52
|
|
19
|
J. Rios
|
49
|
|
20
|
S. Ogden
|
29
|
|
21
|
R. Yamanaka
|
25
|
|
22
|
D. Gonzalez
|
7
|
|
23
|
M. Uriarte
|
6
|
|
24
|
C. Buchanan
|
5
|
|
25
|
L. Rammerstorfer
|
4
|
|
26
|
Z. Mitani
|
2
|
|
27
|
R. Moodley
|
1
|
|
28
|
K. Singhapong
|
1
|
|
29
|
N. Carraro
|
0
|
|
30
|
L. Abruzzo
|
0
|
|
31
|
E. Gutierrez
|
0
|
2026 MotoGP Calendar
|
|||
|
Rnd
|
Date
|
Event
|
Circuit
|
| 1 |
01 Mar
|
Thai
|
Chang International Circuit
|
| 2 |
22 Mar
|
Brazil*
|
Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna
|
| 3 |
29 Mar
|
US
|
Circuit of the Americas
|
| 4 |
26 Apr
|
Spain**
|
Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto
|
| 5 |
10 May
|
France
|
Le Mans
|
| 6 |
17 May
|
Catalonia
|
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
|
| 7 |
31 May
|
Italy
|
Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello
|
| 8 |
07 Jun
|
Hungary
|
Balaton Park Circuit
|
| 9 |
21 Jun
|
Czech
|
Automotodrom Brno
|
| 10 |
28 Jun
|
Netherlands
|
TT Circuit Assen
|
| 11 |
12 Jul
|
Germany
|
Sachsenring
|
| 12 |
09 Aug
|
GB
|
Silverstone Circuit
|
| 13 |
30 Aug
|
Aragon
|
MotorLand Aragon
|
| 14 |
13 Sep
|
San Marino
|
Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli
|
| 15 |
20 Sep
|
Austria
|
Red Bull Ring-Spielberg
|
| 16 |
04 Oct
|
Japan
|
Mobility Resort Motegi
|
| 17 |
11 Oct
|
Indonesia
|
Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit
|
| 18 |
25 Oct
|
Australia
|
Phillip Island
|
| 19 |
01 Nov
|
Malaysia
|
Petronas Sepang International Circuit
|
| 20 |
08 Nov
|
Qatar
|
Lusail International Circuit
|
| 21 |
22 Nov
|
Portugal
|
Autodromo Internacional do Algarve
|
| 22 |
29 Nov
|
Valencia
|
Circuit Ricardo Tormo
|
