MotoGP™’s feature length Grand Prix races are the pinnacle of the most exciting sport on earth, taking place on Sundays due to a combination of historical, logistical and audience-related factors.
The question “Why are MotoGP races on Sundays?” can only be answered by considering the most important factor – what is best for fans. Television viewership and attendances at Grand Prix circuits are highest on Sundays, when people typically have more free time and leisure habits align with watching sport.
Racing on Sundays is a tradition which dates back to 1949 and the founding of the World Championship, with the majority of Grand Prix races having always taken place on the seventh day of the week.
However, there have been exceptions - which we’ll delve into shortly – and there is now racing in the MotoGP schedule on Saturdays too, thanks to the introduction of the Sprint format in 2023.
Nonetheless, Sunday’s standard 2pm schedule for Grand Prix races, featuring the most talented riders in the world on their incredibly powerful motorcycles reaching speeds in excess of 365km/h, provides the spectacular climax to the weekend’s action.
MotoGP’s Race Day - Sunday Traditions
Right from the early days of Grand Prix competition, races have been mostly held on Sundays in all classes, with some notable exceptions.
One famous outlier was the Dutch TT at Assen, which uniquely ran on Saturdays until 2015, due to local customs. Nicknamed as “The Cathedral” of motorcycle racing, Assen proudly holds the honour of being the only venue to have uninterruptedly held a round of the World Championship every year since its formation in 1949 (with the exception of 2020 due to the global pandemic).
In 2016 Assen held its first Sunday MotoGP race, bringing it in line with the schedule of the rest of the MotoGP calendar and making it possible for more fans to watch the action in person and on live TV. The previous Thursday-Saturday Dutch TT schedule meant it was harder for fans to make it to the circuit for the entire three days of track action due to work commitments. So moving to Sunday just made more sense.
Another rare outlier was the Grand Prix of Qatar in 2009, when torrential Sunday rain forced the postponement of the MotoGP race into an unusual Monday night slot, under the floodlights of the Lusail International Circuit. Those exceptions prove the rule, Sunday has ubiquitously become the natural time for fans to enjoy the main MotoGP race at each Grand Prix.
In most cases, MotoGP races now take place at 2pm local time on Sundays, preceded by the Moto3 race at 11am and the Moto2 race at 12.15pm, giving fans a true feast of racing action to enjoy at each of the 22 Grands Prix on the modern MotoGP calendar. Occasions where this differs are Portugal and the United Kingdom (where a 1pm local start time ensures the typical 2pm start is maintained in most of Europe) and selected rounds in Asia which see the MotoGP race start at 3pm.
How Sunday Maximizes Audiences and Fan Engagement
MotoGP races are held early on Sunday afternoons because this timing has been demonstrated to allow the maximum possible amount of fans to enjoy the action – either in person at the track, or watching from home on live television or via the motogp.com VideoPass.
Sundays are the most practical choice because it’s the day of the week when most people aren’t working, meaning better ticket sales and bigger crowds at circuits.
This Sunday afternoon timing also helps to maximise international TV viewing figures. Sundays are traditionally a rest day in many countries, when people are free from work or educational commitments and therefore more likely to watch live sport.
A Sunday afternoon race in Europe – where 14 of the current GPs on the 22 race weekend calendar are hosted - conveniently overlaps with evening in Asia and morning in the Americas, ensuring strong global coverage across time zones.
Holding races midweek or on Saturdays would reduce audience size. Broadcasters also benefit from higher weekend advertising engagement and fans have grown accustomed to major motorsport events on Sundays, making it the most effective day for viewership.
Likewise, the free time enjoyed by MotoGP fans on Sundays also means they have the opportunity to follow everything going on around the World Championship both on and off track via social media, enjoying action clips, rider reactions and behind-the-scenes content.
MotoGP Logistics and Race Weekend Planning
The MotoGP weekend format follows a structured schedule at each Grand Prix. Fridays start with Free Practice 1 and a further afternoon Practice, from which the fastest 10 riders gain direct entry to Q2 on Saturdays.
On Saturday morning there is another short Free Practice session, before the Q1 qualifying session from which the fastest two riders also go into Q2. In Q2 there are therefore 12 riders contesting pole position and the top 12 slots on the grid for the MotoGP Sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix race.
The MotoGP Sprint takes place on Saturday afternoon and the main MotoGP race wraps up the action on Sunday afternoon. This schedule gives the riders and teams time to test setups and adapt to conditions, whilst there is an element of competitiveness on each day, giving MotoGP fans a steady buildup of excitement.
From an organisational standpoint, this consistent three day schedule and format provides a standardised rhythm and a logistical framework to the championship, allowing for precise coordination of travel, set-up, safety checks, maximised performance and efficiency of packing up on Sunday evenings, before heading to the next Grand Prix.
Sunday = Race Day Across Motorsports
In other motorsport series, Sunday is also the most important day of the weekend when it comes to racing. That is the case in Formula 1, in which races are always held on Sundays except in exceptional circumstances, like in many other prominent motorsports championships.
In the WorldSBK championship, the main race day is Sunday, when the Superpole Race and Race 2 are both held, but there is also racing on Saturday when Race 1 is held in the afternoons.
Meanwhile, in rallying formats like WRC or the Dakar Rally, the formats differ significantly as they span multiple days, but their big stages and race climaxes are often held on Sundays too.
Sunday Rituals and MotoGP Fan Culture
For millions of MotoGP fans around the world, setting aside some time on a Sunday to relax and take in the enthralling action on track has become a familiar race weekend ritual. Friday brings anticipation, Saturday cranks up tension with qualifying and the Sprint, before Sunday’s MotoGP race delivers the full-gas, adrenaline-pumping conclusion, as the riders fly towards the chequered flag at the end of the Grand Prix.
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