MOTOGP GROUP PAYS MOTO2 AND MOTO3 TEAMS €30K FOR SIGNING NON-SPANISH RIDERS

MotoGP’s rider pipeline is still heavily shaped by Spain, but the MotoGP group (formerly Dorna) is now using financial incentives to broaden the national mix. With Daniel Holgado and Izan Guevara moving up from Moto2 to the premier class for 2027—Holgado to Gresini and Guevara to Pramac—the next grid is set to include two more Spanish graduates. Even so, the overall picture remains that Spanish riders dominate: nearly half of the 2027 field is expected to be Spanish, with nine of 22 riders carrying the nationality.

According to reporting from The Race, the group is encouraging Moto2 and Moto3 teams to look beyond Spain through a “signing bonus” worth €30,000 for hiring non-Spanish riders. The same source notes that the bonuses are described as “hefty five-figure” payments, raising questions about whether the selection process is purely merit-based.

The push for wider representation comes against a backdrop where the top of the smaller categories is also Spanish-heavy. The report states that the top four Moto3 riders are all Spanish, while seven of the top 12 in Moto2 are Spanish. One of the year’s most discussed rider-market moments was Manuel Gonzalez missing out on a MotoGP seat, with Australian teammate Senna Agius instead receiving the opportunity.

Simon Patterson, speaking on The Race’s podcast, said he was told that teams are currently being paid €30,000 by Dorna for signing a non-Spanish Moto2 or Moto3 rider as part of efforts to “fix this.” Patterson argued that the rest of the world is “kind of five years behind” where Asia is, pointing to the impact of the Asia Talent Cup and the groundwork that preceded it in Europe. He added that Dorna is trying to address the issue at grassroots level, saying he “doesn’t want a paddock of the fastest rider from each country,” but rather “the fastest riders in the world, who just happen to come from different countries.”

While nationality quotas are mentioned as a possible shortcut, there is no indication that MotoGP bosses are considering such a divisive approach. Looking ahead, the 2027 lineup is also set to be heavily concentrated in Southern Europe: six of the riders are Italian, meaning almost 70% of the grid comes from Italy and Spain. The report also highlights recent international additions, including Brazil’s Diogo Moreira and Turkey’s Toprak Razgatlioglu. South Africa’s Brad Binder is set to leave MotoGP for Superbikes, while Colombia will retain representation through David Alonso.