2021 MotoGP Spanish GP – how to watch, session times & more

Following Fabio Quartararo’s victory at the Algarve International Circuit two weeks ago, the factory Yamaha rider holds a 15-point lead over nearest rival Francesco Bagnaia after the opening three rounds of the new season. 

MotoGP reverts to its more traditional race calendar with a return to Jerez at the start of May, with the schedule set to head to Le Mans and Mugello later next month.

Full focus will remain on Marc Marquez following his emotional return from injury last time out in Portugal, with the six-time premier class world champion reduced to tears after finishing his comeback race in seventh place.

Marquez’s resurgence at Jerez - the scene of his arm-breaking shunt last year - will tested once again as he aims to reduce the deficit to the early MotoGP pacesetters, with Quartararo fresh from back-to-back wins and returning to a circuit where he won twice last year.

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

2021 Spanish MotoGP session timings

MotoGP will run its standard schedule across the Spanish GP weekend, with two practice sessions on Friday that will run for 45 minutes each. On Saturday third practice will also run for 45 minutes, with the top 10 on the combined FP1-2-3 timesheet automatically entering into Q2 of qualifying. A final 30-minute FP4 session is held on Saturday afternoon ahead of qualifying.

Q1 of qualifying sees all riders who did not finish in the top 10 of the combined practice times take part, with the top two finishers progressing into Q2 alongside the top 10 who gained an automatic spot via their practice times.

Q2 is the pole position shootout which decides the order of the front four rows, with the rest of the grid organised on Q1 times, for the Spanish GP on Sunday.

Moto2, Moto3 and MotoE are also in action during the Spanish GP. 

Friday 30th April 2021

• Free Practice 1: 8:55am-09:40am BST (9:55am-10:40am local)
• Free Practice 2: 1:10pm-1:55pm BST (2:10pm-2:55pm local)

Saturday 1st May 2021

• Free Practice 3: 8:55am-9:40am BST (9:55am-10:40am local)
• Free Practice 4: 12:30pm-1:00pm BST (1:30pm-2:00pm local)
• Qualifying: 1:10pm-1:50pm BST (2:10pm-2:50pm local)

Sunday 2nd May 2021

• Warm Up: 8:20am-8:40am BST (9:20am-9:40am local)
• Race: 1:00pm BST (2:00pm local)

Takaaki Nakagami, Team LCR Honda

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

How can I watch the Spanish MotoGP?

• Channel: BT Sport 2
• Channel numbers - Sky: 414 (BT Sport 2) 
• Channel numbers – Virgin Media: 528 (BT Sport)

BT Sport’s live coverage of Sunday’s action starts with the warm-up sessions at 7:15am, taken from the world feed, before switching to its own broadcast at 9:00am for the pre-race show ahead of the MotoE race.

The build-up to the MotoGP race starts from 12:30pm, or when the Moto2 race finishes, ahead of lights out at 1:00pm.

Can I stream the Spanish MotoGP?

Viewers in the United Kingdom can also stream the Spanish GP by purchasing a video pass from MotoGP.com. A one-off video pass, the remainder of the 2021 MotoGP season, costs £173.94.

The video pass gives access to every live session, qualifying and race, plus world feed content and the chance to watch previous races.

Weather forecast for the Spanish MotoGP

Jerez is set for dry and sunny conditions throughout the weekend, with a very small chance of rain. Highs of 23 degrees Celsius are forecast on race day, which is around three degrees warmer than the Portuguese GP.

Most Spanish MotoGP winners (premier class only)

Valentino Rossi: 7 wins (500cc – 2001, MotoGP – 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2016)

Mick Doohan: 4 wins (500cc – 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996)

Marc Marquez: 3 wins (MotoGP – 2014, 2018, 2019)

Dani Pedrosa: 3 wins (MotoGP – 2008, 2013, 2017)

Jorge Lorenzo: 3 wins (MotoGP – 2010, 2011, 2015)

Alex Criville: 3 wins (500cc – 1997, 1998, 1999)

Wayne Gardner: 3 wins (500cc – 1986, 1987, 1990)

Kenny Roberts: 3 wins (500cc – 1979, 1980, 1982)