What happened at MotoGP’s official season launch in Kuala Lumpur

MotoGP staged its second-ever season launch event in Kuala Lumpur this weekend, less than a month before the opening round of the year in Thailand.

After breaking new ground with a similar joint event in Bangkok last year, MotoGP brought all teams and riders together to the heart of Malaysia’s capital for a special event marking the unofficial start of the 2026 campaign.

Although Dorna had originally zeroed in at Singapore as the venue for this year’s launch, logistical challenges caused by the short gap between the Sepang test on 3-5 February and the event itself prompted the championship to opt for Kuala Lumpur instead.

The city has always been a popular destination for MotoGP, with several teams historically choosing the city for their individual bike reveals. The celebrations for the 2026 season launch kicked off on Friday, just a day after the MotoGP grid completed the first pre-season test at the Sepang International Circuit.

All 2026 bikes were placed on display at some of the most familiar landmarks in Kuala Lumpur, including in front of the 421m-tall Kuala Lumpur Tower, which has been a defining feature of the city’s skyline since 1991.

Later that evening, all riders gathered atop the Permata Sapura Tower for a photo opportunity, with the iconic Petronas Towers serving as the backdrop for the shoot.

MotoGP riders group photo

Photo by: Steve Wobser / Getty Images

The main event began on Saturday evening, as MotoGP transformed the city centre into a street circuit. Dedicated garages for all 11 teams were set up in the vicinity of the Petronas Towers, along with a makeshift pitlane to allow riders to enter and exit the track.

After nightfall, the riders took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur, performing wheelies and stoppies on a closed-off stretch of road in front of the Petronas Towers. Running in reverse order of last year’s standings, Pramac and LCR were first out on track, with Ducati closing the show.

Only 2021 champion Fabio Quartararo and MotoGP sophomore Fermin Aldeguer were missing from the showrun, with even Jorge Martin returning to the Aprilia RS-GP after missing the Sepang test to recover from surgery. Yamaha drafted in Augusto Fernandez to replace the injured Quartararo, while Gresini elected to run solo with last year’s runner-up Alex Marquez.

After each run, riders made their way up a specifically constructed stage in front of Suriya KLCC, a large shopping mall located on the foot of the Petronas Tower. All 20 riders addressed the crowd individually before stopping to interact with fans and pose for photographs.

MotoGP also conducted interviews with several team bosses, with newly-appointed Tech3 team co-owner Guenther Steiner among those in attendance.

In terms of entertainment, local band DOLLA and international stars PAWSA and The Script took to the stage to perform in front of the audience. The event concluded with all riders returning to the stage for a final group photo next to their 2026 bikes.

Notably, MotoGP was the only major championship to hold a collective launch event this year, with Formula 1 – also owned by Liberty Media – choosing against a follow-up to its 2025 London event due to the introduction of new technical regulations.

Photos from MotoGP launch