Twenty-two years after the last time, MotoGP returns to Brazil: Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team rider Franco Morbidelli will experience his first Grand Prix in his second home.

MotoGP returns to action this weekend for the second round of the season: the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team is ready to take on the Brazilian Grand Prix – the first time at the Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna – which is back on the calendar after twenty-two years (the last edition dates back to 2004). It is a very special race for all the paddock, but especially for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team rider Franco Morbidelli, who has carioca origins and will race for the first time in his second home. Expectations are high for the Tavullia-based team, which started 2026 on a positive note with both the Italian-Brazilian rider and Fabio Di Giannantonio.

After ending the Thailand GP with a positive result, Di Giannantonio is determined to get back on his Ducati Desmosedici GP to make his debut on a completely new track. Fabio arrives in Goiânia in seventh place in the World Standing with 12 points, and as the top Ducati rider in the classification.

Great excitement surrounds Morbidelli, who is set to have his Brazilian home race for the first time. The Goiânia circuit will not be entirely new to Franco: he already had the chance last year to get familiar with the track during a fan event. The Italian-Brazilian rider arrives at the Brazilian GP in ninth place in the World Standing with 8 points.

To celebrate the Goiânia race, the Tavullia-based team will wear a special capsule collection paying tribute to Brazil and marking the return to the calendar of one of the most anticipated and exciting events. The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team will go on track on Friday for the first free practice sessions. Qualifying will take place on Saturday, starting at 10:50 (local time, -4 CET), followed by the Sprint at 15:00 (local time). The Brazilian GP will conclude with Sunday’s race, which will start at 15:00 (local time).

FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO
“I’m sure the Goiânia weekend will be fantastic! I’m very happy that Brazil is back on the MotoGP calendar after so many years. I can’t wait to discover the track and the place in general, also because I’ve never been to Brazil. It will be a first for us, and I’m excited to experience a new culture and connect with the Brazilian people. We’re going to have a lot of fun!”

FRANCO MORBIDELLI
“The Brazilian Grand Prix will be a home race for me, and I’ll live it to the fullest! We’ll need to do a great job; we’ll arrive with huge enthusiasm and there will be a lot of energy. I already visited the Goiânia track last year: the layout is very nice and interesting, it almost feels like a stadium. It looks like a very fast circuit, we’ll have to see what it’s like on a MotoGP bike. I’ll also be lucky to have part of my mother’s family with me, who have never seen me racing, so I really can’t wait. It’s definitely one of the races I’ve been looking forward to the most in recent years; being in Brazil will be truly special!”