The MotoGP announced on Tuesday morning (the 11th) the launch of the 2027 season in Rio de Janeiro (RJ). The event will take place on February 21 at Botafogo Beach, near Pão de Açúcar, and occurs just days before the start of next year’s championship, in addition to marking the return of a category event to the state capital since 2004, when the defunct Jacarepaguá race track hosted the Brazilian GP.
The announcement comes a little over four months after MotoGP returned to racing in the country, with the Brazil Grand Prix at the Ayrton Senna International Circuit in Goiânia (GO). The Brazilian round sold out tickets and drew just under 150,000 spectators across the three days of activities.
The launch brings together all riders, teams, and manufacturers involved in the premier class of world motorcycle racing. In previous instances, the MotoGP launch has taken place in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, and in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, which hosted this year’s championship presentation. The event will also be open to the public, who will be able to view the motorcycles up close outside of a race weekend.
“The launch of the MotoGP season has become one of the standout moments of the year for our championship, bringing together all teams, riders and manufacturers at the start of a new season,” says Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of the MotoGP Group.
“The enthusiasm shown by Brazilian fans during our return with sold-out tickets in Goiânia in 2026 confirmed the extraordinary connection between MotoGP and Brazil. Following the success of our recent season-launch events in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, Rio de Janeiro provides the perfect stage to continue elevating the standard, combining iconic venues, passionate fans, and world-class entertainment. We look forward to delivering our largest and most spectacular MotoGP Season Launch to date,” Ezpeleta adds.
“The city of Rio de Janeiro is honored to host the 2027 MotoGP season launch and to welcome in our city one of the annual events most important to international motorsports. After the extraordinary success of MotoGP’s return to Brazil in Goiânia, we are proud to be part of celebrating the start of a new season,” comments Eduardo Cavaliere, the current mayor of Rio de Janeiro.
“Few cities can match the combination of natural beauty, sporting passion, and world-renowned landmarks that Rio offers. From Botafogo Beach to Christ the Redeemer, this event will showcase the best of Rio de Janeiro to millions of fans around the world, while also delivering unforgettable experiences for riders, teams, partners, and visitors. We look forward to welcoming the MotoGP family and fans from all over the world to our city,” Cavaliere adds.
