MotoGP Japan: Spanish session times for Martín vs Márquez

The MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix runs from 2 to 4 October 2026 at Mobility Resort Motegi, and if you are watching from Spain, the 24-lap main race starts at 7:00 on Sunday morning, according to motorsport.com's Spanish edition. The same outlet sets out the rest of the weekend in Spanish time: on Friday, FP1 at 3:45 and the practice session at 8:00; on Saturday, FP2 at 3:10, Q1 at 3:50, Q2 at 4:15, then the 12-lap sprint at 8:00. Motorsport.com also gives some background on the venue: the circuit is owned by Honda, opened in 1997 and measures 4.8 km over 14 corners.

Why so many people in Spain are looking up these times right now comes down to the standings. Motorsport.com reports that Jorge Martín (Aprilia) arrives in Japan leading the 2026 championship on 306 points, with Marc Márquez (Ducati) on 294, 12 points behind, and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) third on 264. A WebSearch cross-check (motorsport.com and elpespunte.es) gives the same Martín and Márquez totals and the same 12-point gap after the Austrian GP. Motorsport.com adds that Motegi is the first stop of the Asian tour, so there is little breathing room left in the title fight.

Motogp.com takes a different angle and focuses on the riders. The championship's official site describes Motegi as a new and crucial phase of the title battle, and quotes Martín, speaking on 1 October, calling it "a privilege" to be fighting it out with Márquez. That respectful tone is a contrast with the bare numbers in the standings, which leave very little margin either way.

Interest showed up in the sports press too: according to headlines picked up by Google Trends, Diario AS and MARCA both ran practical guides to the Motegi schedule and TV coverage on 1 October (we could not open those two articles directly, so the details here come from motorsport.com). For viewers in Spain, motorsport.com says the sessions are on DAZN (the "Motor" or "Premium" plans), on the "DAZN MotoGP" channel via Movistar+ and on the MotoGP VideoPass streaming service. If you are outside Spain, check your local broadcaster, as coverage elsewhere was not confirmed. The Moto2 and Moto3 timetables have not been checked here either.

Sources : motorsport.com, motogp.com, elpespunte.es, Diario AS, MARCA, Google Trends.