For the second year in a row, the MotoGP season kicks off with the Thai Grand Prix, a venue that has also hosted five other Grands Prix held in October. The bike to beat is Ducati, winner of the last four championships with three different riders.
There are 22 Grands Prix on the calendar, the same as in 2025, with the addition of the Brazilian Grand Prix replacing the Argentine Grand Prix. There are two rookies, both coming off a world title: Toprak Razgatlioglu (WorldSBK) and Diogo Moreira (Moto2).
The GP data
According to Brembo technicians, who for the 11th consecutive year are working closely with all MotoGP riders, the 4.554 km-long Chang International Circuit falls into the category of highly demanding tracks for braking systems. On a scale from 1 to 6, it has earned a difficulty index of 6 due to the presence of four High-category braking zones, all with braking distances exceeding 195 metres. Each lap, the brakes are applied for almost 28.5 seconds, accounting for 32 percent of the race duration.
The toughest corner
The most demanding corner of the Chang International Circuit for the braking system is Turn 1, where speed drops from 277 km/h to 112 km/h. To achieve this, MotoGP riders apply a load of 5.2 kg on the brake lever and are subjected to a deceleration of 1.4 g. During braking, the bikes cover 197 metres, while brake system pressure reaches 11.1 bar.
Fifty years ago
Fifty years ago, Brembo brakes made their debut in the premier class of the World Championship, which at the time was the 500cc category. They were adopted by Team Gallina, which in 1976 became the first to purchase one of the Suzuki RG 500 bikes built for private teams. That motorcycle, in addition to being extremely powerful thanks to its four-cylinder two-stroke engine with rotary valves, was also lightweight. However, it suffered from braking issues, an area that at the time was still far from fully developed.
The first racing circuit
In an effort to improve the braking performance of the Japanese bike, Roberto Gallina paid a visit to his friend Alberto Bombassei, owner of Brembo, bringing along the Suzuki RG 500. In 1972, Brembo had designed its first caliper for a road motorcycle, a two-piston unit with 38 mm pistons, which was fitted to the Moto Guzzi Sport 750. The same caliper was used by Team Gallina, but to reduce its weight material was removed and two titanium bolts were adopted, making the caliper around 100 grams lighter.
The two mavericks
The 2025 Thai Grand Prix was dominated by Marc Márquez, who secured pole position, won the Sprint and also claimed victory in the Sunday race, setting the fastest lap on both occasions and finishing ahead of his brother Alex each time. The two Márquez brothers are the only riders on the current MotoGP grid not to use the Brembo thumb brake, a technical solution that allows the rear brake to be operated with the left hand in addition to the traditional foot pedal. This control is useful not only under braking, but also when cornering and accelerating.