Marco Bezzecchi
MotoGP has seen an increase in interest from potential investors and key figures in other motorsport categories, notably Formula 1.
This is hardly surprising, given Liberty Media’s takeover of MotoGP from Dorna. The American company are hoping to have the same success with the premier class as F1, having skyrocketed the sport’s global audience and revenue.
In recent months, MotoGP has already seen F1 figures express a desire to get involved as Liberty is expected to transform the sport. Guenther Steiner completed his takeover of Tech3 during the Catalan Grand Prix, assuming control of the KTM satellite team in 2026.
He may not be the only F1 star to enter the world of MotoGP next season. It was reported during the Catalan GP that Max Verstappen is interested in buying a team, with the likes of LCR and Trackhouse being mentioned.
The Dutchman joins fellow multiple world champion Lewis Hamilton in expressing a desire to run a MotoGP team, with the Ferrari star holding previous talks with Gresini and KTM. This interest has got team bosses ‘worried’ about the future.
MotoGP team bosses are ‘worried’ as Dorna have enquired about them being prepared to sell their teams
Currently, MotoGP teams look like a golden opportunity for investors to earn serious profit. Almost every F1 team is now worth over £1bn, and with MotoGP outfits being priced at around £17.3m, Liberty could dramatically increase their worth.
It is the reason why Gresini turned down Hamilton’s approach, as they see their value skyrocketing under the new ownership. However, Dorna are now beginning to inquire with team bosses about whether they would be willing to sell up amid the interest from the likes of Verstappen.
As journalist Adam Wheeler notes via the Paddock Pass Podcast, LCR boss Lucio Cecchinello is ‘worried’ about the ‘next phase’ with this interest. Verstappen is linked with taking over his team, but there are concerns about whether these outfits are as sustainable as F1 teams are under Liberty.
“I had an interview with Lucio Cecchinello on this theme actually yesterday, and it was quite revealing.,” said Wheeler.
“I mean, he said that there are people coming in and wanting to invest in MotoGP teams, right from a lower level where they just want to take a small stake in operations to a full buyout.
“And actually, Dorna have some enquiries as well to the point where Dorna are talking to independent team bosses, now saying: ‘Are you prepared to sell the team?’
“So it seems like there is this swell of interest coming in the sport and Lucio admitted that he’s kind of worried about the next phase.
“Because if you do get this investment, you have to plan, you have to hire more people. Are MotoGP operations really equipped to be like a corporate entity?”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Tech3 owner Guenther Steiner, including F1 history
MotoGP satellite teams are pushing for equal treatment with the factories under Liberty’s ownership
The six MotoGP satellite teams (Gresini, VR46, Trackhouse, Tech3, LCR and Pramac) face uncertainty as MotoGP heads into a new era. Their contracts expire with their respective factory teams in 2027.
Steiner has secured Tech3’s place on the grid for the next five years with his takeover, but who the team will race with is another question. The six satellite outfits could look very different under the new regulations, especially as they push Dorna for equality.
The satellite teams want ‘equal rights’ with the manufacturers as they look to receive a bigger slice of the revenue that is predicted to come from Liberty’s ownership. Pramac became the first independent team to win the championship in 2024.
The teams want to make this a regular occurrence and ‘officialise’ them with Ducati, Aprilia, KTM, Honda and Yamaha. Dorna have rejected this proposal, but the teams are still pushing for a bigger share of revenue.
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