A key fixture on the MotoGP calendar, the Circuit of Jerez is well known to Michelin’s partners, with a Grand Prix held there every year for nearly 40 years. Always highly appreciated, the track quickly revealed its potential as early as Friday, with riders already close to the circuit record, just one tenth off the pole position time set by Fabio Quartararo in 2025 (reference time: 1’35.610).
Overnight from Friday to Saturday, rain washed the track, leading to some adjustments in bike setup. Despite these changing conditions, performance remained consistent, notably thanks to the reliability of Michelin tires. This enabled Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) to secure his 75th MotoGP pole position.
During the Tissot Sprint on Saturday afternoon, riders initially benefited from the excellent performance balance of Michelin tires, with a unanimous choice of Medium compound at the front and Soft at the rear. However, shortly after mid-race, rain appeared. Depending on their strategy and feeling, riders quickly switched to MICHELIN Power Rain tires, again in Medium or Soft compounds. Despite a crash near the pit lane entry, Marc Márquez managed to change bikes and claim victory with an impressive pace. Benefiting from rain tires perfectly suited to the conditions, the Spanish rider secured his 17th Tissot Sprint victory, equaling the record of Jorge Martín.
The Ducati Lenovo Team rider finished ahead of his teammate Francesco Bagnaia, while Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completed the podium.
The following day, conditions improved as the Andalusian sky returned to clear and sunny weather. On a dry track with 40°C ground temperature (at the start), it was Alex Márquez (BK8 Gresini Racing) who took victory after 24 laps of an intense Grand Prix, ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team).
“Our plan worked perfectly, with the right tires available at the right time, despite changing weather conditions throughout the weekend,” said Piero Taramasso, Two-Wheel Motorsport Manager at Michelin. “From Friday practice onwards, clear strategies began to emerge thanks to the relevance of our compounds, while the pace was very fast for everyone. The rain overnight from Friday to Saturday did not really reshuffle the deck—the Soft rear tire was already everyone’s favorite for the Sprint race. Beyond the additional grip, it was the perfect compound to cover the 12 laps in ‘attack’ mode, while the Medium delivered very consistent and reassuring performance over distance during the Grand Prix the following day. Our in-depth knowledge of the track, combined with favorable track temperatures, enabled us to provide a perfectly controlled response to our partners, allowing them to focus on racing without worrying about their tires.”
For the 2026 Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, Michelin brought its MotoGP range of MICHELIN Power Slick tires with two compounds (Soft, Medium) for both the front and rear. The front tires were all symmetric, while the rears were asymmetric, with a harder right side to handle the slightly higher stresses on that side. These characteristics are also found in the MICHELIN Power Rain tires designed for wet conditions.
Despite more unsettled weather than last year, the Jerez circuit once again attracted a very large crowd: 224,627 spectators compared to 224,420 in 2025, including just over 96,000 on Sunday (101,000 last year), confirming the venue’s strong appeal for the championship.
Updated records
Given the wet conditions on Saturday, the circuit record (1’35.610) was not broken, nor was the Tissot Sprint race duration improved.
However, on Saturday afternoon, Francesco Bagnaia’s top speed was recorded at 300.8 km/h. No one had gone that fast at Jerez since Johann Zarco in 2021.
The following day, Fabio Di Giannantonio was clocked at the same speed.
Held under conditions similar to last year, the Grand Prix saw its duration improved by nearly 8 seconds: 40’48.861 compared to 40’56.374 in 2025. Finally, Alex Márquez broke his own record for the fastest race lap: 1’37.081, compared to 1’37.339.
The next round of the FIM MotoGP World Championship will take place at the Circuit de la Sarthe from May 8 to 10. It will be the Michelin Grand Prix of France, the most attended race on the MotoGP calendar, which in 2025 attracted a record 317,787 visitors (including 120,403 on Sunday alone).
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