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Motorcycling-MotoGP sprints to have their own qualifying sessions

By Thomson Reuters Oct 7, 2026 | 7:48 AM

Oct 7 (Reuters) – MotoGP’s sprint races will have their own qualifying session ​from the 2027 season, ‌resulting in a separate grid for the shorter high-intensity races, the motorcycle racing organisation ‌announced ​on Wednesday.

• The ⁠sprints, which ⁠take place on Saturdays and offer 12 championship points for the winners, currently ​do not have their own qualifying sessions, and ⁠use the ⁠same grid positions as ​the Grand Prix races on ​Sunday.

• MotoGP will shorten ‌the second practice session to 30 minutes, making way for a new ⁠15-minute sprint qualifying session every Friday, to determine the starting positions ⁠for ‌the shorter races.

• “The ⁠new format balances an ​incredible ‌spectacle for fans and ​new ⁠stakes in each session,” MotoGP said in a statement.

(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Purulia, India, editing by ​Ed Osmond)