At MotorLand Aragón, where the wind regularly blows sand and fine particles of dirt onto the track surface, Michelin’s riders and partners quickly found the ideal racing line. After Friday morning was devoted to initial setup work, the pace increased significantly in the afternoon, with three riders going under the previous lap record. At the end of Practice, just 0.038 seconds separated the top three riders, a record margin for this session.
On Saturday morning in Q2, eight riders improved on the 2025 lap record, underlining both the progress made by the motorcycles and the effective support provided by Michelin. The tire package, which included a Soft rear with a slightly stiffer tread compound, contributed to this increase in performance, as well as to the faster pace seen on track throughout the weekend.
Well known to the teams, the MotorLand Aragón complex has been part of the MotoGP™ calendar since 2010. The 5.077-kilometer circuit features 17 corners, 10 left-handers and seven right-handers. Highly appreciated by the riders, the track provided the perfect setting for them to showcase their skills, with favorable weather, enthusiastic crowds and outstanding performance all contributing to a memorable weekend.
Piero Taramasso, Michelin Two-Wheel Motorsport Manager:
“We can genuinely describe this as a fantastic weekend and a great celebration of motorcycle racing at Aragón. We had anticipated very high track temperatures, and the heat was certainly there, but at levels that allowed our partners to operate our tires within ideal working windows.
“When the track record is broken as early as Friday, it means a number of positive factors have come together, both in terms of track conditions—which were nevertheless difficult at the start of the weekend—and the way the motorcycles were able to exploit their performance.
“Our tire package was particularly well suited to the conditions, and the Soft rear, which we had specified with a slightly stiffer tread compound, played an important role in this success. At the front, the Medium compound was the king of the weekend, providing confidence thanks to its stability in all conditions. At the rear, we saw a mix of Medium and Soft tires on Saturday, while every rider opted for the Medium front and rear for the Grand Prix. It was the best choice, providing both confidence and sustained performance over the full race distance. We leave MotorLand Aragón extremely satisfied.”
On Saturday afternoon, the Tissot Sprint was won by Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), ahead of his brother Alex Márquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing). Marc and Alex Márquez had chosen Medium tires front and rear, while Marco Bezzecchi selected a Soft rear, demonstrating that different tire combinations could deliver podium-level performance.
On Sunday, Marc Márquez again took victory in the Grand Prix, ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Team) and Marco Bezzecchi. This time, every rider opted for the Medium compound at both the front and rear.
For the MICHELIN Grand Prix of Aragón, Michelin’s partners could choose between two symmetrical MICHELIN Power Slick specifications for the front: Soft and Medium.
At the rear, the asymmetric Soft and Medium compounds, featuring a reinforced left side, allowed riders to prioritize either a higher level of grip or greater consistency over the race distance. In both cases, Michelin tires contributed to the on-track spectacle and helped set new records.
Michelin’s new records at MotorLand Aragón
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) now holds the all-time lap record. He improved on Marc Márquez’s previous benchmark of 1’45.704, set in 2025, with a qualifying lap of 1’44.962.
The new benchmark time for the Tissot Sprint is 19’37.995, compared with the previous record of 19’43.026, which itself represented a seven-second improvement over 2024 (19’50.03). During the 2026 Tissot Sprint, several riders maintained an extremely fast pace and repeatedly bettered the fastest race lap set during the 2025 Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix race time, which had already been improved by more than 24 seconds in 2025 (41’11.195), was lowered once again. The 23 laps of the 2026 Grand Prix were completed in 41’10.969.
The fastest race lap record, set in 2025, remains 1’46.704. However, it is worth noting that Marc Márquez, who was controlling the race from the front, posted a 1’46.736 on lap 14 of 23, highlighting the sustained performance of Michelin tires over the race distance.
The top-speed record of 356.4 km/h, set by Brad Binder in 2025, also remains unchanged.
The 14th round of the MotoGP World Championship will take place in Italy at the Misano circuit for the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera.
