It really has felt like a full season worth of thrills and spills, action and drama, hasn’t it? Our reigning Champion’s rollercoaster opening 11, six different Grand Prix winners – including a new one – last lap battles, late race charges and more. We’ll try and put together all of those iconic moments from the first half of the 2026 season below but please, forgive admin for forgetting any because there have been many. Sit back, relax and enjoy the MotoGP joyride from Buriram to the Sachsenring.
BURIRAM, THAILAND: Acosta takes glory in controversial 2026 Sprint opener
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) battled Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) and after numerous attempts, the KTM star was forced out at the last corner. The FIM MotoGP Stewards instructed Marquez to drop a place on the last lap, Acosta took full advantage, winning the Sprint.
GOIANIA, BRAZIL: MotoGP’s carnival returned to Goiania, Bezzecchi takes honours again
He took victory on Sunday in Buriram and it was eat, sleep, race, repeat for Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) in Brazil as he asserted himself as the early season dominant force. A 1-2 for Aprilia with teammate Jorge Martin in second.
COTA, USA: magical Bez makes it a hat-trick, Martin ignites his charge
The horsepower rodeo from the live musical capital of the world, the #72 continued his sensational form, setting a new record for consecutive laps led (121) and forcing the opposition to dance to his tune. On Sprint Saturday, Martin triumphed in a last lap battle with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), his first success with Aprilia.
JEREZ, SPAIN: Marquez domination – but which one, or both?
Jerez’s Tissot Sprint was a chaotic flag-to-flag which had just about everything. Marc Marquez won having pitted after a final corner crash but he wouldn’t be so fortunate in the Grand Prix. A fast crash chasing brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) left the #93 out whilst 2025’s runner-up repeated his Spanish GP success from 12 months previous.
LE MANS, FRANCE: Martin’s first Grand Prix win with Aprilia
The whole Grand Prix was building to the closing stages when the 2024 World Champion pounced to deny his teammate a fourth GP win in five whilst in third, Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) clinched a first-ever MotoGP podium, a sign of things to come. The Grand Prix was missing Marc Marquez, who suffered a huge crash in the Sprint that would force him out of his home GP in Barcelona too.
BARCELONA, CATALONIA: Di Giannantonio triumphs in dramatic Catalan GP
Quite a lot in this one wasn’t there? First, the scary red flag for Alex Marquez hitting the back of Acosta which in-turn took out Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). Then, on the restart, Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), Bagnaia and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) crashed at Turn 1 bringing out a second red flag. A third start and third time lucky with Diggia putting in one of the great rides of 2026 to triumph after everything that had happened.
MUGELLO, ITALY: Bez flies the Italian flag high
The 11th different Italian winner on an Italian bike at the Italian GP, the #72 was becoming a bit of an unstoppable force.
BALATON PARK, HUNGARY: he’s back…
He’d made a return to action at Mugello which was solid but in Hungary, he was back to his best. Marc Marquez took his first GP win of the year but he was forced to fight with Acosta… shades of Thailand. It was his 100th win in all classes as well as the Ducati Lenovo Team’s 100th. Elsewhere, a big crash at the start caused by Martin took out a whole host of riders, including teammate Bezzecchi – a turning point in the season?
BRNO, CZECHIA: Bagnaia wins the Sprint, Bez suspended, #93 comeback on
A whirlwind in the Czech Republic on Sprint Saturday with Championship leader Bezzecchi benched for misconduct as Bagnaia took honours. In the GP, Marc Marquez closed down the deficit to the Championship lead with victory ahead of a mighty Ogura.
ASSEN, THE NETHERLANDS: Ogura becomes a MotoGP winner
22 years after Makoto Tamada’s Motegi win, Japan was on top again as Ogura claimed his first-ever MotoGP victory. Of course, he didn’t have a lot to say but we did. Check out the records he broke and the history he made here. A P3 for Martin, the #89 was P1 in the standings.
SACHSENRING, GERMANY: Bezzecchi out injured, Marquez makes it 10
A huge crash in qualifying for Bezzecchi compounded a miserable summer run-in with 0 points scored since Saturday in Hungary. Meanwhile, the Sachsenring was painted red again. Marc Marquez was the SachsenKing, a 10th MotoGP win at the circuit and now P3 in the standings, 18 points adrift having been 102 back just four rounds ago. Have a think about that into summer.
We told you there was a lot to cram in and we have a funny feeling there’s going to be even more in the relentless second half of 2026. Five riders covered by 24 points after 11 GPs, the closest ever in the modern era. We’re in for a grandstand finish with plenty of twists and turns still to come.