MotoGP and its five manufacturers have signed a landmark partnership agreement modelled on Formula 1’s famous Concorde agreement, marking a first for the sport.
The two-wheeled championship, owned by Formula 1 parent Liberty Media, has agreed what it describes as a “defining” deal covering commercial, sporting, and governance arrangements through to 2031.
The five manufacturers party to the agreement are Aprilia, Ducati, Honda, KTM and Yamaha, representing the full breadth of the sport’s manufacturer base.
A secondary agreement with the 11 competing teams has also been confirmed, though full details of that arrangement are set to be announced at a later date.
The agreement is described as being “focused on the best interests across sporting, technical and commercial dimensions, establishing a framework that ensures competitiveness, technological relevance and the continued global appeal of the championship, underpinned by a clear long-term vision.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, chief of the MotoGP Group, said: “Together with our longstanding partnership with the FIM through to 2060, this agreement gives us a powerful platform to continue growing — building on decades of progress while accelerating into a new phase for the sport.”
Liberty Media completed a deal in July of the prior year to acquire an 84 per cent holding in Dorna Sports, which runs MotoGP, for around £4bn after clearing antitrust concerns within the European Union.
MotoGP management retained a 16 per cent stake in the business, with Ezpeleta continuing in his role as chief executive following the completion of that transaction.
The business was subsequently rebranded as MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group and earlier this year repriced its billion-dollar debt pile as part of ongoing financial restructuring.
A statement released alongside the agreement said: “MotoGP, the Manufacturers, the Teams and the FIM are working collectively to identify opportunities to enhance both technical and sporting aspects of the championship, ensuring a continued focus on safety as well as delivering an even stronger product for fans.”
The statement added that “this shared approach will guide MotoGP’s continued progression while preserving the DNA that defines it as the pinnacle of motorcycle racing.”
The deal represents a significant step in Liberty Media’s ambition to apply the commercial structures that have driven Formula 1’s growth to the motorcycle racing world.