FOUR MOTOGP BIKES TO RUN AT F1’S UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

MotoGP will make a high-profile appearance at Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix, with four bikes scheduled to run at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin on Saturday, October 24. The demonstration is designed to introduce the motorcycle championship to a larger American audience during a weekend expected to draw more than 400,000 fans.

Dani Pedrosa, reigning World Superbike champion Nicolo Bulega, and MotoGP test riders Andrea Dovizioso and Lorenzo Savadori will take part. Their run is set for 11:40am to noon local time, before F1’s final practice session. The bikes can exceed 225mph, offering spectators a rare chance to see MotoGP machinery on track at COTA.

The event marks MotoGP’s first inclusion in an F1 Grand Prix weekend, alongside other fan activities. MotoGP teams and riders are expected to be in Austin from Thursday through Sunday, even though the championship’s own Australian round at Phillip Island takes place on the same weekend, on the other side of the world.

Pedrosa said riding at COTA is “always special,” describing the United States Grand Prix as a distinctive event that brings an “incredible crowd.” He said the occasion gives MotoGP a chance to show fans what makes the sport exciting, adding: “The speed, the sound and the performance of these bikes is something you have to experience in person.”

Bulega, who is due to move to MotoGP with VR46 next year, called the showcase a chance to put the championship before one of motorsport’s biggest audiences. He said COTA’s atmosphere is “always incredible” and that riding there in front of so many fans would be special. “MotoGP bikes are unlike anything else,” he added, hoping the laps would demonstrate the sport’s spectacle. Bulega also pointed to his planned return to Austin with MotoGP in 2027; next year’s MotoGP United States Grand Prix is scheduled for April 23–25.

The crossover follows Liberty Media’s ownership of both championships, completed through its €4.2 billion acquisition of MotoGP in 2024. The Austin demonstration is seen as part of efforts to grow MotoGP’s reach and attract new fans, amid continuing interest in closer links between the series.