MotoGP Preview: Catalan Grand Prix
- Silvia Cojocaru
- 41 minutes ago
- 4 min read
France raised the stakes and gave fans a new race winner for 2026. Jorge Martín looks determined to take the championship lead from his teammate, while Ducati are facing even more issues. How will Barcelona surprise us next?
Here are all the details you’ll need before tuning in to the Catalan Grand Prix this week!
This week’s track: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
Located in Montmeló, Barcelona, MotoGP has been racing here since 1991, and thanks to its award-winning design, it quickly became a fan favourite. With a length of 4.657 km (2.894 miles) and a long straight of 1,047 meters, the track has plenty of opportunities for overtaking and exciting racing.
This is one of the fastest-flowing tracks on the calendar, with four out of its 14 corners being long and sweeping overtaking spots. One of the most challenging spots on the track is the Campsa Corner (Turn 9), where riders are unable to see the apex as they approach, demanding a lot of confidence and precision.
However, the riders will have all their skills put to the test this weekend. This track’s layout flows from high-speed sweeping corners to intricate technical sections, meaning Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has everything to offer. Most notably, La Caixa (Turn 10) is a tight hairpin at the end of a long straight that requires precise heavy braking.
The Catalan track is also a regular stop for other racing competitions, most notably Formula One.
Past results
Last year proved lucky for the home heroes, the Márquez brothers. Marc reigned victorious in the sprint while Álex took pole position and the race win.
Álex put forward a dominant performance in the race, being practically untouchable after reclaiming the lead on Lap 4. This brought him his second win in the premier class and his first win at home, while also extending the fight for the world title.
Enea Bastianini also had a great weekend in Barcelona, claiming his first podium with the KTM team and even challenging for the lead during the race. This moment came at the perfect time as new team owner Guenther Steiner attended last year’s race.
The Aprilia team doesn’t have good memories from the 2025 Catalan Grand Prix, with a triple DNF on Saturday and two crashes on Sunday. Jorge Martín was the only rider who finished a race for the Italian team the previous year.
Other memorable moments in Catalonia feature Valentino Rossi’s last corner overtake over his teammate Jorge Lorenzo to claim the win in 2009 and the Spaniard’s revenge in 2015 that brought him four wins in a row.
Key talking points
The championship battle is on after the French Grand Prix, with just one point between teammates Bezzecchi and Martín. The Spaniard's consistent performances in the sprint, paired with a win in the last round, make him a strong contender for the world title.
This means it is time for Bezzecchi to return to the form he had at the start of the season and also start bringing better results in the sprint if he wants to leave Catalonia retaining his championship lead.
Aprilia are currently having their best season in a long time, and with Ducati having temporarily lost Marc Márquez, they have all the resources available to distance themselves even more.
On the other side of the pit lane, Ducati are facing major issues. Marc Márquez picked up a foot injury at the French Grand Prix and will be unable to race this week, and Francesco Bagnaia is still struggling to score consistent points. The Italian crashed out of last week's race after starting from pole and managing to finish second in the sprint.
Álex Márquez also failed to capitalise on the momentum he built up in Jerez as he crashed out of the French Grand Prix.
Not even Fabio Di Giannantonio – Ducati's best rider of the season – could bring a podium to the Italian manufacturer at Le Mans, leaving Aprilia to lock out the podium for the first time in history. The VR46 rider remains Ducati's leading rider, a title that Bagnaia would hope to take now that Marc Márquez is temporarily out of the competition.
This weekend specifically, keep an eye on Ai Ogura, who showed incredible pace in the previous race and could start to fight for wins very soon. Fabio Quartararo also impressed on his Yamaha, finishing sixth overall but putting on a fight for second.
Additionally, Maverick Viñales is also set to return to racing at his home Grand Prix this weekend after recovering from his surgery.
Who will be the championship leader after MotoGP's visit to Spain? Will we witness a new race winner?
Find all the answers by following the Catalan Grand Prix on 17th May 2026 from 14.00 local time (12.00 GMT)!
Edited by Dhara Dave
