MotoGP Thailand 2027: Buriram Grand Prix Guide
Chang International Circuit does not host MotoGP as an afterthought — it was built for it. The 4.554 km track in Buriram opened in 2014 and earned its place on the MotoGP calendar in 2018, with the Thai round drawing back-to-back grid finishes that have made it a firm fan favourite. Since 2025 it has been the season opener, meaning the first championship points of the year are decided here.
The three-day format runs Friday through Sunday. Friday and Saturday carry free practice and qualifying sessions, with the sprint race on Saturday. The full Grand Prix fires on Sunday afternoon — local time late enough that European audiences can watch live in the morning. Spectator atmosphere builds through the weekend, with Thai fans turning the grandstands into a colour-soaked celebration of motorsport that rivals any circuit on the calendar.
- 2026 dates: 27 February–1 March (race weekend: practice/qualifying Saturday, sprint Saturday, main race Sunday)
- Circuit: Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Isan region
- Circuit length: 4.554 km, 12 turns
- Getting there: Flights from Bangkok ~1 hour; train from Bangkok Hua Lamphong ~5–6 hours; buses from Mo Chit terminal
- Tickets: Via official MotoGP and circuit channels — book well ahead
- 2027 dates: TBA (announced with the provisional MotoGP calendar)
Buriram itself is worth a day before or after the race. The city grew largely because of the circuit’s investment — there are decent restaurants and cafés along the main drag, and Buriram Castle (a recreation of a Khmer-style tower near the circuit) gives the town a distinctive skyline. The Kuy ethnic culture of Isan also shows up in local markets and food stalls around the circuit.
Race weekend hotels in Buriram sell out months ahead. If you’re booking late, Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat), about 1.5 hours west, offers a much wider choice — transfers to the circuit run during the event. The circuit has parking for those driving from Bangkok, but the road conditions on race day require patience.
Insider Tip: The Thai crowd is loudest during the sprint race on Saturday — a genuinely electric session with less than half the grid laps of the main race. If your budget covers only one day, Saturday gives you qualifying drama plus the sprint, for a fraction of the Sunday grandstand prices.
Watch out: Traffic leaving the circuit on Sunday evening backs up for several kilometres. Build in two to three hours before attempting the drive to Buriram city, or stay in the circuit hospitality area until the roads clear.
The 2026 edition ran 27 February–1 March. The next round follows the same late-February/early-March window, but the official 2027 dates are confirmed when the MotoGP provisional calendar is released — typically in the preceding autumn. Check the events calendar for confirmed dates.
Hero image: MotoGP at the Chang International Circuit, Buriram — Box Repsol, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
