• After Thailand, Brazil and the United States, the FIM World Championship MotoGP and Michelin are arriving in Europe, at the Jerez-Ángel Nieto circuit in Spain.
• Michelin Motorsport has retained the same tire package as last year, which had been entirely satisfactory.
• A large number of fans are expected for this important event on the MotoGP calendar, where the weather is usually mild.
Located in the heart of Andalusia, in southern Spain, the Jerez Circuit stands out as one of the most iconic events on the MotoGP calendar. Inaugurated in 1986, it has hosted the World Championship without interruption since 1987, thus cementing itself in history as one of the tracks most faithful to the sport.
A benchmark circuit for Michelin teams and their employees, Jerez is also a preferred testing ground, regularly used for development sessions. This in-depth knowledge of the track makes it a strategic location, where every detail counts.
The 4,423 kilometer circuit offers a demanding, technical and winding layout, composed of thirteen turns – five left and eight right – as well as two relatively short straights, the longest of which barely exceeds 600 meters.
Jerez attracts tens of thousands of enthusiasts every year, who come to experience the thrill of the race in an atmosphere that is both intense and welcoming. At the last edition, the circuit welcomed 224,420 spectators, including more than 101,000 on Sunday, confirming its status as a top-tier track.
Piero TaramassoTwo-wheeled vehicle competition manager, Michelin Motorsport
« The teams and we ourselves are very happy to be returning to Jerez for the first race of the calendar in Europe. This round promises to be particularly revealing of everyone's true level. The circuit is indeed well known to the teams, who regularly organize private or official tests there with our support.
Furthermore, our annual presence allows us to gather a significant amount of data, facilitating the selection of a tire package perfectly tailored to our partners' needs. We also look forward to welcoming back the fans of Jerez, who are always out in force in Andalusia, for a race with its own unique characteristics.
The track isn't particularly demanding in terms of wear, and top speeds are moderate, but it puts continuous stress on our tires, without any real recovery phase, both front and rear. Based on our knowledge of the course, we've opted to use the same tire compound as in 2025, while ruling out the Hard compound for the front, which wasn't used in the previous edition.
For the 2026 Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, Michelin will offer its partners a MICHELIN Power Slick range consisting of two compounds (Soft, Medium) for both the front and rear wheels. The front tires are all symmetrical, while the rear tires are asymmetrical, with a harder right side to compensate for slightly higher stresses on that side.
In the event of rain, the MICHELIN Power Rain range will be offered in Soft and Medium rubbers for the front and rear. The latter are also asymmetrical, with a harder right side, like the slick ranges.
The program for the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Spain
In Jerez, the on-track action will begin on Friday, April 24, at 10:45 a.m. (local time) with Free Practice 1 (45 minutes). A second session, this time qualifying (the top 10 will go directly to Q2), will then be held at 15:00 p.m. for one hour. The following day, after Free Practice 2, Qualifying will take place in two sessions, between 10:50 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The top two riders from Q1 will also qualify for Q2 (12 riders in total). The Tissot Sprint race (12 laps) is scheduled for 15:00 p.m., while the Grand Prix will start on Sunday, April 26, at 14:00 p.m., for a 25-lap race.
MotoGP Jerez Michelin
