Thai rider "Somkiat Chantra" fought hard to overtake near the race's end and crossed the finish line in 14th place at the "Japanese Grand Prix 2026".
On 3 Oct 2026, the Japanese Grand Prix sprint race took place on Saturday afternoon, 3 October, contested over 12 laps on Motegi's newly resurfaced track. The new surface improved grip but significantly increased tire wear.
"Kong" Somkiat Chantra, Thai rider number 15 from Honda HRC Castrol, started from grid 15 and showed strong potential within the pack. However, he lost position early, dropping to 18th, but fought back to overtake competitors and finish 14th with a total time of 21 minutes 10.359 seconds. His Italian teammate, Luca Marini, number 10, finished 11th.
The Japanese Grand Prix main race will be held on Sunday, 4 October, beginning with Moto3 at 9:00 a.m., followed by Moto2 at 10:15 a.m., and concluding with MotoGP at 12:00 p.m., all Thailand time.