The Moto2 and Moto3 classes of grand prix racing are set to move further away from the main MotoGP action during race weekends for the first time in the sport’s history, under new rules being proposed by series organiser Dorna and revealed to The Race by sources in the paddock familiar with the plans.
The changes come as the first major shift seen since Liberty Media’s acquisition of the championships, and will more closely mirror the relationship between Formula 1 (also controlled by Liberty) and support series F2 and F3 in that paddock.
The first of those changes, according to The Race’s sources, will likely mean Moto2 and Moto3 are relegated from their current spots on pitlane to new self-contained temporary facilities elsewhere in the paddock, similar to how some teams already operate at circuits with smaller pitlanes.
It’s been suggested that the new format might involve something slightly more substantial than the current temporary structure arrangement, perhaps more in line with how the soon-to-be-suspended electric series MotoE operates from its own dedicated area of the paddock with more substantial shipping container garages, offices, and hospitality areas.
That would be similar to F2 and F3’s set-ups on F1 weekends, with teams using tents attached to their trucks rather than pit boxes. It will serve the double effect of both reducing the amount of paddock space required for the junior classes (by also reducing the footprint of their hospitality units) and of further focusing attention on MotoGP in pitlane.
This aligns with further plans to alter the weekend’s schedule to give the premier class more space each side of its sessions in order to again concentrate focus on it. Some changes have already been made in 2025 to help facilitate this, including scrapping parc ferme interviews after qualifying, but it seems likely that there will be significant further change coming for 2026.
Other changes to the paddock layout are also planned for 2026, with teams’ trucks (currently parked up connected to their trailers at the back of the garages) set to be relegated to parking outside the paddock and with the footprint of Dorna’s own office block within the paddock also set to be made smaller.
There is, at least for now, no talk of more significant changes. Previous suggestions for the future of the Moto2 and Moto3 classes had suggested even more significant cuts, including the two series potentially becoming European-only and not travelling to flyaway rounds as a cost-saving exercise, an idea that at least for now seems to have been parked.
However, the planned moves have been met with significant apprehension from within the Moto2 and Moto3 paddocks, with multiple teams (none of whom have yet been consulted on the proposals) expressing concern to The Race about what they potentially mean for their sponsorship acquisition.
With Moto2 and Moto3 teams still relying primarily not on racers paying for rides but on sponsorship deals to fund their activities, there’s a concern from teams that any move to restrict series visibility and paddock space and access will leave them with no other choice but to start looking at riders able to bring six-figure sums to secure seats, rather than simply the most talented prospects.
