Dorna have now rejected MotoGP rule change that would be a ‘major’ transformation of the sport

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MotoGP teams are currently renegotiating their commercial agreement with Dorna. The current deal expires at the end of 2026.

The landscape of the series has shifted dramatically with the arrival of Liberty Media. But Dorna and Carmelo Ezpeleta remain in control despite selling their commercial rights.

As noted by GPOne, Liberty are currently acting ‘in the shadows’. The deal was only finalised in July.

Major technical rule changes have already been agreed for 2027, headlined by a pivot to 850cc engines and simplified aerodynamics. But now matters off-track must be settled.

Dorna reject equalisation of factory and satellite teams in MotoGP

It recently emerged that MotoGP’s satellite teams were seeking equal status to the factories. This proposal was discussed by the International Road-Racing Teams Association at the Austrian GP last month.

Last year, Pramac became the first independent team to field a world champion (Jorge Martin) in the MotoGP era. They beat Ducati’s factory squad to the championship in 2023.

Their alliance with a struggling Yamaha has seen them fall to the foot of the table, but Ducati’s remaining satellites – Gresini and VR46 – are second and third respectively in the championship.

GPOne’s report states that the rule change, which would represent a ‘major’ transformation, has already been ‘returned to sender’. Ezpeleta has adopted a ‘divide-and-rule’ strategy, with the manufacturers likely opposed.

• READ MORE: MotoGP manufacturers hold ‘not very successful’ meeting about introducing agreement used in Formula 1

Negotiations continue over a deal that would see the teams earn a greater share of the sport’s revenue.

What other rule changes could MotoGP introduce in the Liberty Media era?

Various new rules have been suggested since Liberty arrived, but none have gained significant traction just yet.

For instance, KTM’s new CEO has tabled a cost cap, a measure that has improved the financial health of F1. The Austrian brand very nearly went out of business this year.

On the other hand, Jack Miller is pushing for a minimum sign-on fee to be introduced for the riders, and he isn’t the only rider concerned. In F1, driver salaries are exempt from the budgetary restrictions.

Should they fail to reach a deal with the teams, Dorna have an ’emergency’ plan to make MotoGP a single-make championship. That is, naturally, a last resort, but it shows how much power they wield.

Indeed, it was Ezpeleta who effectively settled the 2025 rider market by warning that any competitor in a contractual dispute with another team would be refused entry to the championship. This was a clear message to Aprilia wantaway Martin.