Marco Bezzecchi
Paolo Pavesio thinks MotoGP needs a more ‘structured’ rider market going forward, with Yamaha at the centre of a chaotic silly season.
Reports suggest Fabio Quartararo signed his Honda contract last year, with the news breaking on the eve of pre-season testing. The Japanese manufacturer then moved quickly to sign Jorge Martin.
Pavesio doesn’t think it’s ‘healthy’ that major rider transfers are being finalised before a season has even started. He has since lined up Ai Ogura to partner Martin, with Alex Rins let go.
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Paolo Pavesio calls for MotoGP transfer window
Quartararo and Martin weren’t the only big-name riders to choose their 2027 destinations before the 2026 campaign. Pedro Acosta signed his Ducati deal in December, securing the seat alongside Marc Marquez.
That pushed Francesco Bagnaia out, but he quickly agreed a deal with Aprilia to take Martin’s seat. Marco Bezzecchi extended his contract on the other side of Massimo Rivola’s garage.
While none of these moves have been confirmed, there should be a flurry of announcements once the sport’s new commercial agreement is in place. Speaking to Moto.it, Pavesio said the situation isn’t good for the sport.
Quartararo signed a two-year extension with Yamaha in 2024, but he will spend ‘50%’ of that deal committed to another team. Pavesio thinks introducing a transfer window may be wise.
He said: “There’s one thing I can say: the situation that’s developed this year isn’t, in my opinion, healthy and correct over time. Such an early market doesn’t allow anyone to maximise the investments made.
Does MotoGP need to introduce a transfer window?
“Then, afterward, when it comes to racing, the riders think about what they’re doing now. But knowing that some high-level riders are already making moves before the championship begins, on contracts that have become almost standard two-year contracts, means that you can’t actually exploit 50% of the investment made in a rider to its full potential.
“I think we need – we were talking about Liberty, MotoGP Group, before – a structural approach, like in other sports, regarding transfer windows, where things settle in that period.”
The spate of early signings will prove particularly problematic when full-time riders get access to the 2027 bikes in June. Quartararo, Bagnaia, Acosta, Martin and several others will be barred from trialling the new 850cc machinery to ensure they don’t take sensitive information to their new teams.
It’s unclear how exactly a transfer window could be enforced, though, because riders often agree deals informally before they sign a contract. Ultimately, this may not be a solvable problem for MotoGP bosses.
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