The owner of Formula 1, Liberty Media, has acquired a majority stake in the MotoGP race promoter, Dorna, which will lead to anticipated changes in the championship. Liberty’s CEO, Greg Maffei, and Dorna’s chief, Carmelo Ezpeleta, recently presented their plans to investors, revealing their ambitions for the future direction of MotoGP. Despite Liberty’s forays into street circuits in F1, MotoGP will remain in traditional locations due to safety concerns. Liberty’s main focus going forward will be expanding MotoGP in the US, a market where motorcycle races have struggled to gain a significant share. Riders can expect to be more involved in off-bike activities as Liberty aims to increase fan engagement and interaction. Maffei believes MotoGP requires less work than F1 did when Liberty took over in 2017, thanks to Dorna’s efforts to innovate and establish a strong brand presence. Although there may be changes in marketing and sales strategies, the existing structure of MotoGP, led by CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and his son Carlos, is likely to remain intact. The sale of 25% of Dorna to Liberty has also made some MotoGP bosses financially better off. The presentation focused mainly on MotoGP, with only a brief mention of the Women’s World Championship, which will be launched in 2024 alongside the World Superbikes, as an example of Dorna’s efforts to diversify the sport. Moto2 and Moto3 classes did not receive much attention, indicating that MotoGP will continue to be the main focus.
