Brazilian MotoGP Sprint delayed due to track damage

The Brazilian MotoGP has delayed its Saturday schedule due to damage to the track surface.

Updated: 21 Mar 2026

Track work at Goiania after MotoGP qualifying. Credit: Gold and Goose.

Delays have been forced at the Brazilian MotoGP on Saturday due to damage to the track surface.

The morning sessions were able to be completed in Goiania, where MotoGP is holding its first Brazilian race since 2004, today (21 March), but shortly after the conclusion of qualifying for the premier class a hole on the front straight was discovered.

As a result of the damage to the track surface, which was away from the racing line, the afternoon sessions were delayed initially without a confirmed restart date as work went on to repair the track.

Initially, the delay was until 15:20, a delay of 20 minutes. However, there were two subsequent delays, first to 15:35 and then to 16:00, which is where we stand at present.

Moto3 and Moto2 qualifying were both originally due to take place after the Sprint, but Moto2 qualifying has now been moved to Sunday morning before MotoGP Warm Up. Moto2 Q1 is now due to start at 09:40 local time. Moto3 qualifying is still set to take place on Saturday after the Sprint, with Q1 set to begin at 17:10 local time.

"Following repairs to the track surface undertaken at the Autodromo Internacional de Goiania – Ayrton Senna, the MotoGP Tissot Sprint is expected to begin slightly later than scheduled, with an anticipated delay of around 20 minutes. A revised schedule will be sent shortly," the latest statement from MotoGP, issued at 17:00 GMT, reads.

The Saturday delays come after a one-hour delay to the whole Friday schedule as a result of rain which meant the Moto3 FP1 session was unable to start on time.

There was not any real dry running in Goiania until FP2 on Saturday morning, after which Fabio Di Giannantonio went fastest in qualifying to score his second career MotoGP pole position despite a late crash in Q2.

Marco Bezzecchi rebounded after finishing 20th on Friday to qualify second, while Marc Marquez qualified third.

Fabio Quartararo also impressed on the V4 Yamaha, finishing Q2 fourth, while championship leader Pedro Acosta will start this weekend’s races ninth after his own Q2 crash.