MOTOGP’S 2027 FORMAT: MARINI FLAGS EXTRA WORK AS RIDER INPUT DEBATE GROWS

MotoGP’s 2027 weekend schedule will change alongside a season already set for a major reset, with new regulations, Pirelli tyres and a reshaped rider line-up. The revised timetable adds a Friday session and removes Sunday morning warm-up, but the sharpest criticism from riders has focused less on the changes themselves than on how they were communicated.

Under the new Friday format, riders will take to the track three times: for FP1, FP2 and a 15-minute sprint qualifying session. That final session will determine the grid for the sprint. The current Friday programme has a 45-minute practice followed by an hour of timed running, during which riders push to secure direct passage to Q2. The new qualifying label may make the session more compelling for spectators, while the pressure on riders is expected to remain broadly similar. A strong result will also matter for Sunday, as the top 12 are assured of a place in Q2.

Luca Marini, who will move from Honda to KTM Tech3 for 2027, sees potential in the change. “Having two qualifying sessions is something we’ve been asking for since the sprint came into the format,” he said, adding that he hoped fans would enjoy the changes and understand “that this is the best motorsport in the world.” But he expects more pressure on riders and race direction. Splitting riders into groups during a 15-minute session will be difficult to manage, he said, and could mean more penalties. Riders will have more time attacks and full-gas laps rather than simply free practice. Marini also warned that following another bike is not always ideal with aerodynamic devices: even with fewer wings expected in 2027, he believes aerodynamics will remain crucial, and riders may prefer to run alone in clean air.

The other major adjustment is the removal of the Sunday warm-up. MotoGP manager Carlos Ezpeleta said the session was originally intended to help teams identify and fix problems, but Michelin had confirmed that Sunday morning conditions on current tyres do not reflect those riders face during the race. The change, he said, will make it possible to give riders more laps immediately before the race instead.

Safety and the fan experience have also featured in rider responses. Pecco Bagnaia, Pedro Acosta and Marini were among those to raise concerns, including the loss of on-track action for spectators on Sunday morning. Marini called the warm-up “really useful” for riders, particularly after a sprint crash or a change to the bike. The replacement is ten minutes for installation laps before the start. He suggested riders may need to use their second bike for those laps to manage fuel, then switch to the other machine for the grid, though he said teams would need to work out the details.

Yet the central frustration was that riders had not been consulted. According to Ezpeleta, the initiative came from the teams, which MotoGP regards as its business partners under the relevant agreements—not from the championship’s organisers or its riders.

That distinction has left some riders feeling excluded from decisions that directly affect their working weekend. The teams have contractual standing in the process, while riders are employees expected to follow the schedule. But the episode has renewed calls for clearer communication and meaningful consultation when changes are being considered. The new timetable may be settled; how MotoGP involves its riders in future decisions remains an open question.