Marco Bezzecchi
Pramac Yamaha ace Toprak Razgatlioglu should be livid about Liberty Media’s decision to sign a new contract with the Aragon Grand Prix, as it likely rules out a race in Turkey.
MotoGP announced this Wednesday that the Aragon GP will now stay on the calendar in the 2027 season. MotorLand Aragon was set to fall off the calendar after the 2026 edition as the Alcaniz venue’s contract was set to expire, but it has secured a reprieve for at least one year.
The Aragon GP will become a reserve race between 2028 and 2031 in case MotoGP needs a replacement for another round. Liberty Media is believed to have been behind the decision to keep Aragon for 2027 and as a reserve race after that due to the issues with Balaton Park.
MotoGP confirms the Aragon Grand Prix will be held in 2027 🇪🇸 Should there be a limit on how many races one country can stage?
MotoGP blew its chance to return to Turkey by signing a new contract with MotorLand Aragon
It is reported that Liberty Media decided to keep Aragon on the MotoGP calendar in 2027 as the championship will not return to Balaton Park next year. MotoGP’s owners also felt it was a safer move to return to MotorLand Aragon than to switch the Hungarian Grand Prix to the Hungaroring due to the time that the track needs to make the necessary changes for safety.
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MotorLand Aragon will pay MotoGP a confirmed €12m (£10.5m) to stage a Grand Prix again next season, too, as Liberty Media also decided against requesting an increased hosting fee. Liberty bosses were integral to the negotiations with MotorLand Aragon over the past year.
Pramac pilot Razgatlioglu should not be pleased with the news that MotoGP will again race at MotorLand Aragon in 2027, though, as it likely means the championship will not agree a deal with Istanbul Park to revive the Turkish Grand Prix like the Alanya native has hoped for.
Razgatlioglu and his agent Kenan Sofuoglu have been trying to aid Istanbul Park’s efforts to revive the Turkish GP as soon as 2027. MotoGP last staged a round in Turkey in 2007, when Casey Stoner with Ducati won what was the third running of the Grand Prix at Istanbul Park.
“Maybe next year, maybe 2028,” Razgatlioglu said in April about Istanbul Park’s bid to stage a MotoGP round, via MotoMatters. “I don’t know, but we will see. If we improve more this year, I’m pushing for a race next year! Because I need a good result in my home, you know?”
The 2028 MotoGP season now seems likely to be Razgatlioglu’s best hope to race on home soil after MotorLand Aragon’s new contract, though. It is unlikely that Liberty Media would consider taking MotoGP back to Istanbul Park next year as well, given the current calendar.
MotoGP will return to Argentina in 2027 after signing a deal to stage a round in Buenos Aires, as long as the Autodromo Oscar y Juan Galvez completes all of the necessary work required to stage a race. So, MotoGP would need to grow the calendar to 23 rounds to race in Turkey.
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