Everything to know about the Brazilian Grand Prix including Goiania stats and previous winners

Add as preferred source on Google

MotoGP brought the Grand Prix of Brazil (also known as the Brazilian GP) back after a 33-year absence in 2026, along with returning to Goiania for the first time since 1989.

Goiania staged the first three runnings of the Brazilian GP from 1987 to 1989, but Brazil then lost a presence on the 500cc world championship calendar. The 500cc class did not return to Brazil until 1992, but the series held the race at Interlagos in Sao Paulo instead of Goiania.

Interlagos would only stage the 500cc Brazilian GP once, as well, before the championship targeted an alternative venue for its annual trips to the South American nation. The 500cc class made frequent trips to Rio de Janeiro from 1995 to 2004, but not for the Brazilian GP.

Brazil had to wait 20 years before the South American nation could celebrate the return of a MotoGP race. MotoGP and the state of Goias confirmed in December 2024 that they signed a deal to revive the Brazilian GP at Goiania from 2026, as part of an initial five-year contract.

History of the MotoGP Brazilian Grand Prix

The Goiania circuit, which is officially named the Autodromo Internacional de Goiania – Ayrton Senna after the legendary F1 driver, committed to investing in new facilities and a number of track improvements to convince MotoGP to revive the Brazilian GP from 2026.

MotoGP made a number of attempts to bring the Brazilian GP back before finally returning to Goiania in 2026. MotoGP revealed plans in 2019 to return to Rio de Janeiro with a five-year contract, which was scrapped in 2021 as the Rio Motorsports Park never broke ground.

Brazil has witnessed some iconic moments in the history of the 500cc world championship, and also into the MotoGP era in 2002, thanks to the Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix. But MotoGP kept away from Brazil from 2005 to 2025, despite the country and sport’s deep connection.

Wayne Gardner even became Australia’s first-ever premier class champion in 1987 after he won the first-ever Brazilian GP. Valentino Rossi also won the first riders’ title of the MotoGP era in Brazil through his victory in the Rio de Janeiro GP, taking it with four rounds to spare.

MotoGP ultimately left Rio de Janeiro for good after its visit in 2004, and the track was later demolished as part of regeneration works ahead of Brazil hosting the 2016 Olympic Games. Makoto Tamada won MotoGP’s final race in Rio in 2004 with one of his two career victories.

What is the Autodromo Internacional de Goiania – Ayrton Senna like?

The Autodromo Internacional de Goiania – Ayrton Senna is steeped in history, and boasts a mixture of technical corners and fast straights to challenge even the best riders in MotoGP. A combination of nine right-hand and five left-hand turns make up the 3.8km (2.4m) circuit.

The track officially opened in 1974, but it underwent renovation in 2014 and again ahead of MotoGP returning to Brazil in 2026. Goiania committed to overhauling the track surface and paddock, a wider pit lane and upgrading the medical centre to tempt MotoGP back in Brazil.

A lap of the Goiania circuit features a gradual incline on the run out of the last corner to the start-finish line, before a downhill run to Turn 1, but the majority of the circuit is level. There is a natural flow through the corners, which will suit MotoGP bikes with strong corner speeds.

Previous winners of the MotoGP Brazilian Grand Prix

Below, MotoGP News has listed every winner of the Brazilian Grand Prix as a MotoGP race: