MotoGP will head to Rio de Janeiro to officially launch its new 850cc era, with the Brazilian city selected to host the championship’s 2027 season presentation on February 21.
The main event will take place at Botafogo Beach beneath the iconic Sugarloaf Mountain, bringing together all MotoGP riders, teams, manufacturers and their new-generation machinery ahead of the opening race of the season.
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Rio becomes the third city to stage MotoGP’s standalone season launch following Bangkok in 2025 and Kuala Lumpur in 2026, as the championship continues to expand the event beyond a traditional team presentation into a major pre-season showcase.
This year’s Kuala Lumpur edition generated more than US$7 million in economic value, according to MotoGP, while the Rio event is expected to be its biggest yet with rider and team presentations, fan activities and live entertainment planned along the city’s waterfront.
The announcement also came after Brazil successfully returned to the MotoGP calendar earlier this season following a 22-year absence.
Almost 150,000 spectators attended the sold-out race weekend at Goiânia, which saw Marco Bezzecchi pip Aprilia teammate Jorge Martin to the Grand Prix win.
While Rio will host the festivities, the racing itself will begin in Southeast Asia less than two weeks later, with Thailand’s Chang International Circuit hosting the opening round from March 5-7.
The 2027 season will mark one of the biggest technical resets in MotoGP history, headlined by the switch from 1000cc to 850cc engines, the arrival of Pirelli as the championship’s new sole tyre supplier and the introduction of fully non-fossil fuel.
