CARLO PERNAT WARNS MOTOGP SPRINT FORMAT MAY CUT SHORT RIDERS’ CAREERS

Former MotoGP rider agent Carlo Pernat has issued a stark warning about the sport’s current sprint-heavy calendar, arguing that the way MotoGP has structured weekend racing could shorten the careers of its next generation of stars.

Pernat’s comments, made during an appearance on MotoGP journalist Giovanni Zamagni’s YouTube channel, targeted the Sprint format introduced for the 2023 season. The idea behind the Saturday races was to increase action on track and boost TV and fan engagement across the full weekend. Pernat acknowledged the logic of the concept, but said MotoGP’s decision to apply Sprints to every round has created an unusually demanding workload for riders.

He pointed out that with Sprints on each race weekend, riders are effectively pushed into taking part in 44 races in a single season. Pernat contrasted this with earlier eras, when the championship typically featured far fewer Grands Prix—he referenced a time when there were “15 or 16” races—along with less media and television coverage surrounding each event. In his view, the modern calendar’s density is not just a scheduling change, but something that affects riders psychologically.

“Obviously, for these lads, having 44 starts and competing in all those Grand Prix is something that messes with the drivers’ heads and, above all, puts them under pressure,” Pernat said. He added that the risk profile has become more concerning, citing the frequency of crashes and the possibility that Sunday racing can be compromised: “If you look at the crashes so far, they’re mad – I mean, on Sundays you risk drivers not being able to race.”

Pernat then used Formula 1 as a comparison point, arguing that other top-tier motorsport series have adopted a more limited approach to Sprint events. “Formula 1 isn’t stupid; they’ve scheduled six, if I’m not mistaken, or at most seven – that’s fine,” he said, implying that a smaller number of Sprint weekends would be more manageable.

His criticism also extended to the current leadership stance on Sprint reduction. MotoGP chief Carlos Ezpeleta has dismissed suggestions that the number of Sprint races should be cut, and Pernat urged Ezpeleta to reconsider. Pernat framed the issue as one of long-term rider welfare rather than short-term entertainment value, warning that the sport may be heading toward a new ceiling on how long young riders can sustain top-level competition.

“A world championship like this is worth three of the others,” Pernat said, explaining that the modern title is shaped by a different intensity and volume of racing than in the past. He then drew a direct line from that intensity to career longevity.

“I mean, honestly, many of these young drivers of today will retire by the age of 30, in my opinion; we won’t see many of the young drivers we have now – I’m talking about Aldeguer, Pedro Acosta – these guys here won’t make it past 30, I guarantee it,” Pernat concluded.

In short, Pernat’s message is that keeping Sprints at every round—leading to a 44-race season—could be pushing riders toward earlier exits from the sport, and he believes the current format is the key factor that needs to change.