The 2026 Australian Grand Prix is scheduled for 23–25 October and will form round 18 of the MotoGP season. It also opens a triple-header, arriving with the championship finely balanced: Jorge Martin leads Marc Marquez by two points and five rounds remain.

Indonesia hosted the previous round, where Marco Bezzecchi won the main race. Marc Marquez took the Sprint after Martin ran into problems, then Martin finished third in the Grand Prix. That left the two-point gap intact as the championship heads towards Phillip Island.

A closing chapter at Phillip Island

The 2026 meeting matters beyond the title contest. MotoGP first raced at Phillip Island in the late 1980s, and the circuit has been the Australian Grand Prix’s permanent home since 1996. It is scheduled to host the championship for the last time before the event moves to a street track in Adelaide for 2027. The change has been highly controversial among fans, who regard Phillip Island as one of the most significant circuits on the current calendar. Raul Fernandez won the 2025 race for Trackhouse Aprilia, taking his first MotoGP victory.

Session times and viewing options

Friday’s programme starts with FP1 from 12:45am to 1:30am BST, followed by Practice from 5am to 6am BST. Saturday’s running includes FP2 from 12:10am to 12:40am BST, Q1 from 12:50am to 1:05am, Q2 from 1:15am to 1:30am and the Sprint at 5am BST. Warm-up is scheduled for 11:40pm to 11:50pm BST, with Sunday’s race set for 3am GMT. The clocks are due to go back on 25 October at 2am. In the UK, live coverage is available via HBO Max or MotoGP VideoPass. Free viewing is limited to Monday-evening highlights after the race; listed prices begin at £25.99 per month and €44.99 for the rest of the year, respectively.