MotoGP Sepang 2026: Malaysian Grand Prix Race Weekend Guide
Everything to know before the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia, 30 October to 1 November 2026: circuit facts, sponsors, Malaysian riders, tickets, shuttles and the new 2027–2031 Sepang deal.
MotoGP Sepang 2026 is the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia, held from 30 October to 1 November 2026 at the 5.543km PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit in Selangor. It comes before the final rounds in Qatar, Portugal and Valencia. Entry to all seat zones is free on Friday, 30 October. Malaysian interest centres on Moto3 race winner Hakim Danish.
Key facts
- Dates: 30 October to 1 November 2026, at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit, Jalan Pekeliling, 64000 KLIA, Selangor (Sepang International Circuit).
- Official event name: PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia 2026, with Petronas as title sponsor.
- The 2025 edition drew a record 190,977 spectators, the highest in the event's history.
- On 1 July 2026, MotoGP and the Government of Malaysia confirmed Sepang on the calendar from 2027 to 2031 (MotoGP.com).
- The circuit is 5.543km long with 15 turns and a 0.927km back straight. It opened on 7 March 1999.
- Hakim Danish (Aeon Credit – MT Helmets – MSi, KTM) won the Moto3 Czech Grand Prix in Brno in June 2026, his first win.
- Rapid KL is running 85 shuttle buses from Pasar Seni, KLCC and KLIA Terminal 2 from 30 October to 1 November.
Race weekend schedule and what is at stake
Sepang is one of the last four rounds of 2026. On MotoGP.com, Malaysia (30 October – 1 November) is followed by Qatar (6–8 November), Portugal (20–22 November) and the Valencia finale (27–29 November). The usual Grand Prix format applies: practice on Friday, qualifying and the Sprint on Saturday, and the Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP races on Sunday, 1 November 2026. The circuit's event page did not give a session-by-session timetable at the time of writing. Check the official MotoGP app or the circuit's spectator guide for exact start times.
The championship arrives at Sepang finely poised. On 24 October 2026, MotoGP.com reported that Marc Márquez had taken the title lead with a Sprint win at Phillip Island after Jorge Martín crashed out while fighting for the lead. Martín was then ruled out of the Australian Grand Prix. Earlier in October, The Race reported that Márquez (Ducati) had briefly led Martín (Aprilia) by four points after the Indonesian Grand Prix Sprint at Mandalika on 10 October. Whether Martín is fit for Sepang had not been confirmed at the time of writing.
Circuit facts: PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Opened | 7 March 1999 |
| Designer | Hermann Tilke |
| Grand Prix circuit length | 5.543km (3.444 miles) |
| Turns | 15 |
| Longest straight | Back straight, 0.927km |
| Listed capacity | 130,000 |
| MotoGP lap record | 1:58.873, Álex Márquez (Ducati), 2025 |
| Naming rights | Petronas, announced 31 October 2023 for three years |
Figures are from the Sepang International Circuit reference page. The two long straights that meet at the final hairpin make Sepang one of the circuits on the calendar where top speed matters most. The final corner is a common place for last-lap overtakes, and it sits directly in front of the main grandstand.
Sepang has had a busy October in 2026. According to the same reference page, the circuit hosted Formula 1 again from 2–4 October as the "Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia" after the Bahrain race was relocated. MotoGP follows four weeks later.
Title sponsor and the event's commercial line-up
Petronas: on the event and on the venue
The national energy company has two properties at this race. It is the title sponsor of the event, and it holds the naming rights to the venue, which became PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit in October 2023. That is unusual in world motorsport. Most title sponsors buy only the race name, while here one brand appears in the event title, on the circuit signage and in the venue's name in broadcast graphics. The three-year naming-rights term announced in October 2023 is due to run through late 2026. Whether it has been renewed had not been publicly confirmed at the time of writing.
Other event partners
The circuit's 2026 event page lists these partners alongside Petronas:
- AEON Credit, which also backs Malaysian rider Hakim Danish's Moto3 team
- Hankook Tire and Hankook Motorsports
- Visit Malaysia 2026, the national tourism campaign
- KBS (Ministry of Youth and Sports) and Rakan Muda, shown as government partners
The AEON Credit link is worth noting. The same brand appears on circuit signage and on the bike and leathers of the Malaysian rider most fans have come to watch. A single sponsor can then tell one story across both the event and the team.
Malaysian riders and teams to follow
Hakim Danish (Moto3)
Hakim Danish, born in Kuala Terengganu on 30 July 2007, is in his first full Moto3 season with Aeon Credit – MT Helmets – MSi on a KTM, carrying number 13. On 31 May 2026 he finished third at the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, 0.456 seconds behind winner Brian Uriarte. The New Straits Times reported that it was the first Moto3 podium for a Malaysian since Khairul Idham Pawi won the 2016 German Grand Prix. A few weeks later he won the Czech Grand Prix at Brno after starting with a 12-place grid penalty, his first Moto3 victory.
His record already includes Sepang. At the 2025 Malaysian Grand Prix he rode as a wildcard and set the fastest lap of the Moto3 race before retiring after five laps. Before that he won the 2022 Asia Talent Cup, the first Malaysian to take that title, and finished third in the 2025 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.
Hakim Danish at the grandstand
The circuit sells a "Hakim Danish Tribune" ticket category, billed as "Our National Pride". It was listed as sold out on the circuit's event page. Naming a seating zone after a rider is a ticketing and sponsorship tool: it turns a national favourite into a product, gives partners a natural place to activate, and builds a block of fans in matching colours for the TV cameras.
Moto2: the PETRONAS MIE Racing RW wildcards
At the 2025 race, the PETRONAS MIE Racing RW team entered Malaysian riders Azroy Anuar and Helmi Azman as Moto2 wildcards, and they finished 23rd and 24th. Moto2 wildcard entries for the 2026 race had not been confirmed in the sources we checked at the time of writing.
Recent history: 2025 results
The 2025 PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia was held on 26 October 2025, with the Sprint on 25 October. The winners, from the 2025 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix record, were:
| Race | Winner | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| MotoGP Grand Prix | Álex Márquez | Ducati |
| MotoGP Sprint | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati |
| Moto2 | Jake Dixon | Boscoscuro |
| Moto3 | Taiyo Furusato | Honda |
Álex Márquez also set the current MotoGP lap record that weekend, a 1:58.873.
Tickets and prices
The circuit's event page listed these categories and prices at the time of writing. Stock changes fast and some categories were already sold out:
| Category | Listed price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Premier Seat | RM640 | Sold out |
| Premier Roving | RM510 | Limited |
| Main Grandstand | RM345 | Final-corner and pit-straight view |
| K1 Grandstand | RM206.25 | First-corner battles |
| F Grandstand | RM143.75 | Turns 7 and 8 |
| K2 Hillstand | RM49.90 | MyKad holders only |
| Hakim Danish Tribune | RM425 | Sold out |
| Night Track Tour | RM540 | Add-on experience |
The page showed conflicting figures for some categories, such as the Marc Márquez Tribune at K1 and the Club Suite. Confirm the price at checkout. Child pricing applies to ages 2 to 15, and VIP Village hospitality is priced in euros.
Getting there: Rapid KL shuttles
Rapid KL is running 85 buses to the circuit from 30 October to 1 November 2026, according to The Star (Bernama), 19 October 2026.
- Pick-up points: Pasar Seni Bus Hub, KLCC bus stop and KLIA Terminal 2 Bus Hub.
- Fares: RM20 one-way or RM35 return from Pasar Seni or KLCC. RM12 one-way from KLIA Terminal 2.
- Times: To the circuit every 30 minutes from 7am to 1pm. Return buses from 4pm to 7pm.
- Inside the venue: A free shuttle runs around the circuit, operated with Sepang International Circuit.
- Tickets: On sale from 22 October at selected Rapid KL counters and Pasar Seni Bus Hub, with details on the MyRapid PULSE app.
Rapid Bus CEO Syahrul Azmir Ahmad Zaki said the service is meant to make fans' journeys "easier and more comfortable". With last year's crowd near 191,000, buy shuttle tickets early, especially for Sunday.
What fans should know before going
- Use the free Friday. Entry to all seat zones is free on 30 October 2026. It is a low-cost way to try out grandstands before choosing where to watch on Sunday.
- K2 Hillstand is for MyKad holders. The RM49.90 hillstand ticket is only for Malaysian identity card holders, so bring your MyKad.
- Plan your return trip. Rapid KL return buses run from 4pm to 7pm. Expect queues after the MotoGP race on Sunday.
- Download the official documents. The circuit publishes event FAQs and a spectator guide on its event page, covering what you can bring in and where gates are.
- Prices are listed in two currencies. VIP Village hospitality is priced in euros and converted to ringgit at the rate on the day you buy. Grandstand tickets are priced in ringgit.
How sponsorship shows up at the circuit
If you have not been to Sepang before, here is where to look:
- Event identity. The race name, start-finish gantry and podium backdrop carry the title sponsor. That is Petronas in 2026.
- Trackside boards. Advertising on walls and run-off areas is sold mainly by the championship organiser for its global partners, with some inventory kept for local partners such as those on the circuit's list.
- Team liveries. Each bike, rider suit and helmet is a separate sponsorship deal. In Moto3, Hakim Danish's team name puts AEON Credit first.
- Named grandstands. The Hakim Danish Tribune and the Marc Márquez Tribune at K1 turn riders into ticket products and fan zones.
- Hospitality. The VIP Village, Club Suites and corporate suites are where sponsors entertain clients. The circuit lists VIP Village gourmet dining from 9am to 4:30pm on Saturday and Sunday.
- Tourism branding. Visit Malaysia 2026 is on the partner list, which reflects the government's view of the race as a tourism event.
The 2027–2031 outlook
The biggest commercial news of the year came before the race. On 1 July 2026, MotoGP announced that the Malaysian round will stay at Sepang for five more editions, from 2027 to 2031, after the Malaysian Cabinet granted full approval on 15 April 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed. Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari called the event Malaysia's "longest-running international sporting event". MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said "Malaysia is an important market for MotoGP" and added "we look forward to returning until 2031".
A long-term date helps sponsors. Partners such as Petronas, AEON Credit and Hankook can plan multi-year activations, and the government can tie the race to tourism campaigns well ahead. For 2027 itself, the race date and title partner had not been announced at the time of writing.
The rider market is also moving. MotoGP.com reported on 20 October 2026 that Diogo Moreira will join Honda HRC alongside Fabio Quartararo for 2027, and Alonso will move to Pro Honda LCR. Hakim Danish's next step after his breakthrough Moto3 year had not been confirmed at the time of writing.
FAQ
When is MotoGP Sepang 2026?
The PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia 2026 runs from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026 at PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit in Selangor. Practice is on Friday, qualifying and the Sprint on Saturday, and the Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP races on Sunday. Entry to all seat zones is free on Friday 30 October, according to the circuit's event page.
How do I get to Sepang for MotoGP 2026 by public transport?
Rapid KL is running 85 shuttle buses from Pasar Seni Bus Hub, KLCC bus stop and KLIA Terminal 2 from 30 October to 1 November 2026. Fares are RM20 one-way or RM35 return from Pasar Seni or KLCC, and RM12 one-way from KLIA Terminal 2. Buses leave every 30 minutes from 7am to 1pm, and return buses run from 4pm to 7pm.
Which Malaysian riders are racing at MotoGP Sepang 2026?
The main Malaysian name is Hakim Danish, a full-time Moto3 rider with Aeon Credit – MT Helmets – MSi on a KTM. In 2026 he finished third at Mugello on 31 May and won the Czech Grand Prix at Brno. Moto2 wildcard entries from PETRONAS MIE Racing RW, which ran Azroy Anuar and Helmi Azman in 2025, had not been confirmed at the time of writing.
Who is the title sponsor of the Malaysian MotoGP?
Petronas is the title sponsor, and the event is officially the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia 2026. Petronas also holds the naming rights to the venue, announced on 31 October 2023 for three years, which made it PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit. Other partners listed by the circuit include AEON Credit, Hankook Tire, Visit Malaysia 2026, KBS and Rakan Muda.
Will MotoGP stay in Malaysia after 2026?
Yes. On 1 July 2026, MotoGP and the Government of Malaysia confirmed that Sepang will host the Malaysian Grand Prix for five more editions, from 2027 to 2031, after Cabinet approval on 15 April 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed. The Malaysian round has been held since 1991, and Sepang has hosted it since 1999.
Sources
- PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia 2026 overview (Sepang International Circuit)
- Malaysia confirmed on MotoGP calendar from 2027–2031 (MotoGP.com)
- MotoGP.com latest news and calendar
- Marquez takes MotoGP points lead after Aprilia implosion (The Race)
- Sepang International Circuit (Wikipedia)
- 2025 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix (Wikipedia)
- Hakim Danish (Wikipedia)
- Danish ends decade-long Malaysian wait for Moto3 podium (NST)
- PETRONAS MIE Racing RW MotoGP news
- Rapid KL to deploy 85 buses to SIC for 2026 Malaysia GP (The Star)
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