Mobility Resort Motegi (formerly Twin Ring Motegi)
Mobility Resort Motegi (formerly Twin Ring Motegi) at a glance
- Location
- Motegi, Haga District, Tochigi Prefecture
- Type
- road course & oval
- Length
- 4.801 km (2.983 mi)
- Turns
- 14
- Direction
- clockwise
- Banking
- 10° on the disused oval speedway
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1997
- Owner
- Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Capacity
- 68,156
- Address
- 120-1 Motegi
- Website
- mr-motegi.jp/eng
Track map and layout
Motegi was built by Honda in 1997 as a 'twin ring' facility, pairing a 4.801 km, 14-turn road course with a 2.493 km, 10°-banked oval speedway that once hosted IndyCar racing. The road course is the venue's modern focus, hosting MotoGP and Japan's top four-wheel series with a mix of tight infield sections and a long back straight. The oval, unused for major racing since IndyCar left in 2011, has been rarely used in recent years and demolition of parts of the speedway began in 2026 as Honda repurposes the site; visitors today should expect the road course, Honda Collection Hall and general facilities to be the focus of a visit rather than oval access.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Road course | 4.80 km | 4.801 km, 14-turn layout used for MotoGP, Super GT and Super Formula |
| Oval speedway | 2.49 km | 2.493 km, 10°-banked oval, formerly used for IndyCar (1998-2011); largely disused today and partly under demolition since 2026 |
Events and race weekends
Motegi's headline event is the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix, held on the road course each autumn and a fixture of the world championship since the venue opened. Japan's leading four-wheel series, Super GT and Super Formula, also hold rounds here across the season. The circuit's Honda Collection Hall, a large motorsport and motoring museum, is a year-round draw independent of race weekends.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix | MotoGP | October | run on the road course |
| Super GT Motegi round | Super GT | varies | road course round |
| Super Formula Motegi round | Super Formula | varies | road course round |
Getting there and parking
Motegi sits in rural Tochigi Prefecture without a direct rail link, so most visitors arrive by bus. Regular buses connect Utsunomiya Station (about 90 minutes) and Mito Station (bus #45 from the north exit) to the circuit via Motegi Station. On MotoGP weekend, the official reservation-only 'Motegi GP Express' shuttle runs direct services from Haga, Utsunomiya, Motegi, Mito, Tsukuba, and central Tokyo/Shinjuku.
- Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
- Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT)
Parking
On-site parking is available for general events; MotoGP weekend parking is limited and best arranged with advance event tickets.
Book the Motegi GP Express shuttle bus well ahead of MotoGP weekend — seats are limited and reservations fill up, and the free 16-23 ZERO Yen Pass option for young riders/fans on the Haga route still requires advance booking.
Hotels and camping near Mobility Resort Motegi (formerly Twin Ring Motegi)
Motegi has little hotel stock of its own, so most visitors base themselves in Utsunomiya, a regional hub about 90 minutes away by bus with good shuttle connections on race weekends, or in Mito, Ibaraki. Book well ahead of MotoGP weekend as accommodation across the region fills up.
Where to look
Utsunomiya (largest hotel supply, main shuttle hub); Mito, Ibaraki (alternative base with a direct bus route to the circuit).
Camping
Camping options exist in the surrounding Motegi area and are popular with MotoGP fans, though specific on-circuit camping facilities are not detailed on the official site.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Mobility Resort Motegi hosts driving and riding events on parts of its facility, including the road course, though it is primarily known as a professional racing and museum venue rather than a pay-per-lap tourist circuit; specific public trackday programmes were not confirmed from official sources for this guide.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Formula (road course) | 1:31.379 | Sena Sakaguchi | Super Formula car | 2026 |
Spectator guide
Grandstands along the road course's front straight and key infield corners give MotoGP fans views of both the start-finish area and technical sections. The Honda Collection Hall and other on-site attractions give visitors things to do beyond the racing itself.
Seating
Grandstands are positioned around the road course, with the main stands overlooking the front straight and start-finish line.
Weather
- October (MotoGP): cool autumn weather, daytime highs typically around 18-20°C with a chance of rain
History of Mobility Resort Motegi (formerly Twin Ring Motegi)
Honda's twin-ring concept
Mobility Resort Motegi opened in August 1997 under the name Twin Ring Motegi, built by Honda as a dual-purpose facility combining a modern 4.801 km road course with a 2.493 km, 10°-banked oval speedway modelled loosely on American superspeedways. The 'twin ring' concept was unusual for Japan and reflected Honda's ambitions in both domestic road racing and, briefly, American open-wheel competition.
IndyCar years and the oval's decline
The oval hosted IndyCar (and its CART-era predecessor series) from 1998, including the Indy Japan 300, drawing American open-wheel racing to Japan for over a decade. IndyCar's visits ended in 2011, and the oval has seen little competitive use since, gradually becoming a secondary part of the facility as Honda's motorsport focus shifted fully to the road course. In 2026, Honda began demolishing sections of the disused oval as part of a broader repurposing of the site.
MotoGP, Super GT and the rebrand to Mobility Resort Motegi
Motegi's road course has been a MotoGP fixture almost since the circuit opened, hosting the Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix most years and drawing large crowds each October, alongside regular Super GT and Super Formula rounds. The circuit is also home to the Honda Collection Hall, one of Japan's most significant motorsport and motoring museums, and to Honda's broader mobility and safety-education facilities. The site was rebranded from Twin Ring Motegi to Mobility Resort Motegi in the 2020s, reflecting Honda's wider ambitions for the venue beyond pure racing.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Motegi road course?+
The road course used for MotoGP and Super GT is 4.801 km (2.983 miles) long with 14 turns, run clockwise.
Does Motegi still have an oval track?+
The 2.493 km, 10°-banked oval speedway still exists but has been largely disused since IndyCar stopped racing there in 2011; parts of it began being demolished in 2026 as Honda repurposes the site.
Why was Twin Ring Motegi renamed?+
Honda rebranded the facility from Twin Ring Motegi to Mobility Resort Motegi to reflect a broader focus on mobility, safety education and visitor attractions alongside its racing programme.
How do you get to Motegi for MotoGP?+
There is no direct rail line to the circuit; most fans take a bus from Utsunomiya (about 90 minutes) or Mito, or book the official reservation-only 'Motegi GP Express' shuttle that runs from Tokyo, Shinjuku, Utsunomiya, Mito, Tsukuba and other hubs on race weekend.
What else is there to see at Motegi besides racing?+
The on-site Honda Collection Hall, a large museum of historic Honda cars and motorcycles, is open year-round independent of race weekends.
Did IndyCar ever race at Motegi?+
Yes, the oval speedway hosted CART/IndyCar racing, including the Indy Japan event, from 1998 until 2011.
Other tracks nearby
- Tsukuba Circuit · 48 km · road course
- Fuji Speedway · 174 km · road course
- Sportsland SUGO · 182 km · road course
- Sendai Hi-Land Raceway · 204 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Suzuka Circuit · 382 km · road course
- Okayama International Circuit · 571 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.