Three months on from the 2021 Valencia season finale, we can finally say it is race week once again! The 2022 MotoGP™ World Championship kicks off this weekend under the lights of Lusail International Circuit and our excitement is palpable.

All bets are off come lights out, with the six MotoGP™ manufacturers showing race-winning potential, while the likes of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) hoping to get their title bids off to a perfect start. Lest we forget Maverick Viñales, the Aprilia rider will be hoping to pick up his first win for the Noale factory at the circuit where he last stood on the top step.

All five of those riders will be joined by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) on Thursday’s Press Conference, which gets underway at 17:00 local time (GMT +3). The media sitdown will give riders the chance to preview their weekend’s expectations, as well as what targets they have set for themselves this season.

Friday then gives us our first track action of the year, with Moto3™ up at 11:50 for 40 minutes of FP1. Moto2™ are on at 12:45 for another 40 minutes of laps before it’s the turn of the premier class at 13:40, and that session concludes at 14:25. The Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup will also see plenty of track action over the weekend, preceding Moto3™ at 11:05, and on again after MotoGP™ at 14:40.

Free Practice 2 begins at 16:10 for the lightweight class, 17:05 for the intermediate class and 18:00 for MotoGP™. The fun continues on Saturday, with ATC qualifying followed by FP3 at 11:25, and ending at 14:00. After a short break, where we’ll see Race 1 in the ATC at 14:35, the battle for pole begins. Moto3™ are up at 15:30 for two 15-minute qualifying sessions, before it’s the turn of Moto2™ at 16:25 with two more 15-minute sessions.

Once the pole sitters are decided in those classes, MotoGP™ have 40 minutes of FP4 at 17:20 to fine-tune their machines ahead of qualifying at 18:00. Once again, riders will compete in two 15-minute sessions to decide who will start from P1 in the first Grand Prix of the year.

Then it’s crunch time on Sunday. Race 2 in the ATC kicks the day off at 11:50 before Warm Ups begin at 13:00 for an hour. It’s lights out for Moto3™ at 15:00 as the lightweight class compete over 18 laps of Lusail for honours. Moto2™ will be up next at 16:20 for 20 laps of intermediate class fun before the main event. The 22-lap MotoGP™ race starts at 18:00.

You can take a look at the full schedule below.

THURSDAY, MARCH 3RD (All times GMT +3)

17:00 MotoGP™   -  PRESS CONFERENCE

FRIDAY, MARCH 4TH

11:05-11:35   Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup   FP1
11:50-12:30  Moto3™     -  FP1
12:45-13:25  Moto2™     -  FP1
12:40-14:25  MotoGP™   -  FP1
14:40-15:10  Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup   FP2

16:10-16:50  Moto3™     -  FP2
17:05-17:45  Moto2™     -  FP2
18:00-18:45  MotoGP™   -  FP2

SATURDAY, MARCH 5TH

10:40-11:10  Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup - Qualifying
11:25-12:05  Moto3™       - FP3
12:20-13:00  Moto2™       - FP3
13:15-14:00  MotoGP™     - FP3
14:35          - Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup - Race 1 (14 Laps)

15:30-15:45  Moto3™       -  Q1
15:55-16:10  Moto3™       -  Q2
16:25-16:40  Moto2™       -  Q1
16:50-17:05  Moto2™       -  Q2
17:20-17:50  MotoGP™     -  FP4
18:00-18:15  MotoGP™     -  Q1
18:25-18:40  MotoGP™     -  Q2

SUNDAY, MARCH 6TH

11:50          - Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup  - Race 2 (14 laps)
13:00-13:10  Moto3™       -  Warm Up
13:20-13:30  Moto2™       -  Warm Up
13:40-14:00  MotoGP™     -  Warm Up

15:00              Moto3™     -  Race (18 laps)
16:20              Moto2™     -  Race (20 laps)
18:00              MotoGP™   -  Race (22 laps)