Here we are, at the penultimate round of the 2026 MotoGP season. As Motorsport.com España reports, the championship swings back to the Iberian Peninsula for the Portuguese Grand Prix at the Autódromo Internacional del Algarve, better known as Portimao, running from November 20 to 22. It is a massive weekend, because this magnificent venue gives Marc Márquez his second chance to lock down his tenth world championship across all categories, and his eighth in the premier class.
Let us look at the numbers, because they are crystal clear. Marc Márquez arrives at the Algarve with a 60-point advantage over Jorge Martín and 74 points over Marco Bezzecchi, with a total of 74 points remaining on the table across Portimao and Valencia. That means the crown can be settled as early as Saturday's 12-lap sprint race if he leaves it with a margin of 62 points or more. Specifically, he needs to outscore Martín by 2 points. If Márquez wins the sprint on Saturday, the title is his right then and there. If he does not win, a slew of combinations still work: second place is enough if Martín finishes third or worse; third place works if Martín is fifth or worse; fourth if Martín is sixth or worse; fifth if Martín is seventh or worse; sixth if Martín is eighth or worse; seventh if Martín is ninth or worse; and even eighth will seal the deal if Martín fails to score by finishing 10th or lower. Scoring at all will mathematically eliminate Bezzecchi, who needs a victory.
Portimao is a stunning facility in the Portuguese Algarve, inaugurated in 2008 and featuring a massive complex with a 100,000-person capacity. It entered the MotoGP calendar in 2020 as a COVID-19 emergency measure and has stayed put since, with a contract running through 2029. Interestingly, it remains one of the few places where Marc Márquez has never won a premier-class grand prix. Long-race victories here have instead gone to Fabio Quartararo twice, Miguel Oliveira, Pecco Bagnaia, Jorge Martín, and Marco Bezzecchi.
Getting ready for the action requires keeping a close eye on the schedule, as Portugal is one hour behind Spain, pushing all sessions an hour later than usual except for Sunday's main event. Friday, November 20 starts with Moto3 Free Practice 1 from 10:00 to 10:35, followed by Moto2 FP1 from 10:50 to 11:30. MotoGP FP1 runs from 11:45 to 12:30, with Moto3 Practice from 14:15 to 14:50 and Moto2 Practice from 15:05 to 15:45. The pivotal MotoGP Practice session, which directly decides who advances to Q2, takes place from 16:00 to 17:00.
Saturday, November 21 kicks off early with Moto3 and Moto2 Free Practice 2 sessions, before the MotoGP grid is decided in Q1 from 11:50 to 12:05 and Q2 from 12:15 to 12:30. Moto3 and Moto2 qualifying follow in the early afternoon, leading directly into the 12-lap MotoGP sprint race at 16:00. Sunday, November 22 brings the traditional 14:00 European slot for the 25-lap MotoGP grand prix. Moto2 races at 12:15 for 21 laps, while Moto3 runs at 15:30 for 19 laps to accommodate the premier class.
The grid itself carries several huge question marks due to fitness and injuries. The field returns to 22 bikes with the official Yamaha and Pramac squads back at full strength, though Toprak Razgatlioglu will not race and is replaced by Augusto Fernández. Beyond that, the physical state of multiple riders is up in the air. Pecco Bagnaia underwent surgery days ago for a double fracture in his right toes following a crash in Qatar. Honda's Joan Mir missed Losail due to recurring dizziness, and Luca Marini skipped Sunday's race in Qatar battling a lingering virus from before the Australian Grand Prix. Alex Márquez sat out Losail to operate on his right collarbone, which he broke in Barcelona back in May. Maverick Viñales also left Qatar nursing shoulder pain from a 2025 injury and was weighing whether to step off the bike.
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