Marco Bezzecchi
Liberty Media and Dorna Sports are starting to usher in a new era for MotoGP. And it seems the lower classes are starting to feel the squeeze.
As explained by journalist Adam Wheeler on the Paddock Pass podcast, Moto2 and Moto3 teams have been told they’ll no longer have access to the MotoGP pit lane. They’ll have to operate out of tents in the paddock instead.
What’s more, Liberty and Dorna have been accused of discounting lower-class titles in an attempt to put a greater emphasis on MotoGP. Marc Marquez’s impending championship win is being fashioned as his seventh, when it would be his ninth in Grand Prix racing.
This linguistic shift would bring MotoGP in line with F1, Liberty’s flagship product. Formula 2 and Formula 3 are universally seen as distinct.
Moto2 bosses feared they wouldn’t be appearing at every 2026 race
Morrison says that, within the Moto2 and Moto3 paddock, there were doubts as to whether they would even accompany MotoGP for the entire 2026 season. Some suspected they may only be invited to 15 or 16 rounds.
During a meeting at the Hungarian GP, IRTA and Dorna confirmed that there would be no changes to the structure of the championships for the next two years. The matter will be revisited in 2027.
However, these assurances haven’t altered the overall ‘feeling’ that Moto2 and Moto3 ‘will be sidelined’.
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“There were also a lot of question marks, among the Moto2 and Moto3 grid, around the summer break time, as to whether they’d actually be appearing in all 22 race weekends next year,” said Morrison.
“There are suspicions that their presence will be cut down, maybe the Moto2 and Moto3 championship will appear at, let’s say, six or seven fewer races from some time in the future.
“We did hear back in Hungary that Moto2 and Moto3 teams had a meeting with IRTA, with Dorna, and basically they were told that things were going to stay the same for the next two years, and during 2027, there might be a decision to cut down the number of races for Moto2 and Moto3.
“The general feeling within the smaller categories is that, with Liberty Media coming up, it’s going to be all about MotoGP and the smaller classes will be sidelined somewhat.”
How many MotoGP races do Liberty Media want on the calendar?
Morrison’s colleague, David Emmett, has heard rumours that the MotoGP calendar could be expanded to 25 races. With Sprints included, that would mean 50 events per season.
Even the F1 calendar only runs to 24 as it stands. The intermediate and lightweight classes simply couldn’t cope with this increase.
With MotoGP taking up an even larger chunk of the publicity, revenues could fall further.
“There is talk of MotoGP going to 25 races,” Emmett said. “That then becomes a real problem for Moto2 and Moto3, because they simply don’t have the budgets.”
It’s unclear how Liberty would fill the void in the schedule if Moto2 and Moto3 are absent for some race weekends. Crowds and promoters will want action.
There will be a brand-new Harley Davidson championship next year, but that will only feature at six rounds, while MotoE has also been placed on hiatus. This may open the door for combined MotoGP and F1 weekends, but it’s unclear if they’re logistically feasible.
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