HONDA AND YAMAHA PUSH BACK AGAINST EARLY MOTOGP COST CAP

MotoGP’s manufacturers are divided over a proposed spending cap, with Honda and Yamaha resisting efforts to introduce one before the current commercial agreement ends in 2031. The idea, first raised in the spring, has gained momentum as teams consider a limit modelled on Formula 1’s budget cap.

KTM and Aprilia support the proposal, according to GPOne, while Ducati is gradually warming to it. KTM came close to bankruptcy last season, and Aprilia is said to spend the least of the manufacturers, with an annual budget of about €20 million. A cap could offer greater financial security to teams with fewer resources. Former F1 chief technical officer Pat Symonds has argued that Formula 1’s limit helped secure the future of its midfield teams.

Honda and Yamaha, however, are sceptical about an early introduction. Their costs include significantly higher travel and transport expenses during the European part of the season, and they say the details of any system need careful consideration. One engineer told GPOne: “In my opinion, the budget cap won’t be introduced before 2032.” They added that it is too soon to set a figure because the outcome depends on how spending is counted: “Per team or per manufacturer?”

The engineer also questioned whether research and development and rider salaries would fall within the limit, saying it would take substantial work to create a valid system and that it would then need to be closely monitored.

The manufacturers’ differing budgets underline the stakes. Honda is reported to spend around €80 million a year, roughly four times Aprilia’s outlay, while Yamaha’s budget is about €60 million. Both Japanese brands are currently near the back of the field, despite their greater spending. Honda and Yamaha each have one satellite team, as do KTM and Aprilia; Ducati is the only manufacturer with two.

A Formula 1-style cap would not necessarily include rider pay: F1 excludes driver salaries and the wages of its three highest-paid staff members. Fabio Quartararo, among MotoGP’s highest-paid riders during his Yamaha tenure, is due to join Honda in 2027, with Jorge Martin set to replace him at Yamaha.

The debate therefore remains not only about the size of a cap, but also what it would cover and how it would be enforced. While some team bosses want a system in place before 2032, Honda and Yamaha’s opposition could delay agreement.