The future of MotoGP in Thailand
- Isha Reshmi Mohan
- 7 hours ago
- 5 min read
Written by Isha Reshmi Mohan, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
After a successful campaign hosting the very first MotoGP Season Launch in February, followed by the season opener two weeks later, discussions began about the possibility of a MotoGP contract extension in Thailand, with the current agreement set to expire at the end of the 2026 season.
Growth (2018-2024)
Thailand hosted its first MotoGP race in 2018, which was also voted the best race of the season by MotoGP. The success carried over into 2019, famously known for Marc Márquez’s iconic championship title-winning race.
The turnout at the circuit certainly deserves credit, especially when compared to Sepang Circuit in Malaysia, which is backed by Petronas and has a history of hosting Formula One. Sepang is considered to be a favourable option for travelling fans, being only an hour away from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and the city’s major airport within the same area.
Buriram, on the other hand, is almost five hours away from the capital city by road, and faces a major issue of limited accommodations. While taking an overnight bus for a one-time visit may be practical just for attending the race day, it is not ideal to rely on this to grow the appeal of the event.
On the racing front, Thailand had two of their star riders, Chip Nakarin and Somkiat Chantra (wildcard entry), in Moto3 at the start. And at the end of the 2018 race weekend, Chantra was announced to be a full time rider in Moto 3.
However, after the COVID break, there was a significant decline in attendees, raising concerns about whether the organizers were ready to host such a large event. Nevertheless, there has been a steady rise in attendance over the years.
In the same vein, Somkiat Chantra also made his way up to Moto2, and at the end of the 2024 season, it was announced that he would be riding in the premier class with the Honda LCR team.
All eyes are on Tatchakorn Buasri as well, as he is currently in his second year in the Moto 3 category with hopes of climbing up to the premier class.
Promotions over the years
With Buriram being a smaller city, located almost five hours from the capital, Bangkok, or a two-hour flight away, Thailand hasn't invested much in promotional efforts in the past.
Instead, they heavily relied on the online space, which included posts from major sponsors, the circuit's social media, fan pages, and the 7-Eleven/All Ticket channel, which distributes tickets for the event. The only other offline promotions were seen around Buriram city, leading up to the circuit.
Suttichai Rachakit from GP Thailand Family shared his wish for a promotional approach similar to Sepang, with promotions made at airports to attract potential travelling fans. However, there's a major difference, as the major airports in Thailand are nowhere near the Buriram circuit.
Things were different this time, with Bangkok hosting the season launch in 2025, making it more accessible for fans. This led to increased promotions in the Skytrain and at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
2025 season
With Ramadan slated to fall around the same time as the season opener, Qatar was unable to host the event, paving the way for Thailand to step in and take the spot. This moved their race up from its usual position at the end of October.
With the decision made ahead of the 2024 race, it was the perfect opportunity to showcase the big three: the very first MotoGP season launch, the first Thai rider in the premier class, and also hosting the season opener for the first time.
The Thai fans also had plenty of time to meet the riders and witness the bikes on track during the pre-season test sessions, which took place a week before the race weekend.
While the riders themselves might not have enjoyed the countless test sessions and the first race being in the same setting, along with the intense March heat, which they mentioned affected both them and the tires, the fans certainly did.
The future
Concerns about the future of MotoGP emerged just hours after the race concluded on March 2nd, when Newin Chidchob, Chairman of Buriram United (who also has ties to the Buriram Circuit), made a statement on Facebook to first thank the fans for attending. He also shared the official numbers relating to the attendance, budgeting, local impact and so on.
Towards the end of the post, he revealed that the Sports Authority of Thailand had planned to invest in the 2026 season as the final year of MotoGP, with no interest in renewing their contract.
In response, the Thai government has clarified the need to review the economic impact from recent years to justify a contract extension, which has not been ruled out completely as yet. However, some locals believe there may be political reasons behind the delay, as Newin was a former member of the opposition party.
The CEO of FMSCT, Kraitos Wongsawan, who has a part in contract discussions and is also heavily involved in bringing MXGP back to Thailand had shared that he believes the contract could be extended, especially with Somkiat Chantra currently on the grid.
He also highlighted that the country also benefits from the production of the Ducati bikes (road bikes) at their Rayong plant, which contributes to the economic impact of hosting motorsport events in Thailand.
The process is also on hold due to Thailand's efforts to bring Formula One to the country for a street circuit race in Bangkok, which may create complications in allocating budgets for both premier-class events.
When asked, GP Thailand Family highlighted that Buriram, being a smaller city compared to major event hubs like Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket (which host festivals like EDC, Rolling Loud, and S2O), benefits greatly from MotoGP being held there, as it is the only city in the country with an FIM-graded circuit for MotoGP.
Letting go of the event could significantly impact the city’s development, as there has been substantial investment in accommodation and facilities over the years for traveling fans. The city took its first major hit after COVID, as the event peaked in 2018 and 2019, leading to heavy investment that went to waste when everything was shut down for two years. This was evident in the turnover during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
However, with the major improvements seen in 2024 and this year, Thailand should seriously consider aiming to host both Formula One and MotoGP. If successful, Thailand would become the only Southeast Asian country to host both premier-class events.
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