MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (SEG) and the championship’s five manufacturers announced on Friday their long-awaited ‘Concorde Agreement’.
In one of the toughest battles in recent memory, the constructors – represented by the Motorcycle Sport Manufacturers Association (MSMA) – identified this period as an unmissable opportunity to put pressure on commercial rights holder MotoGP SEG and secure the best possible conditions.
Amid projected serenity at all times, the negotiations did occasionally stall due to the gap between what one side was willing to offer and what the other considered fair to receive.
As reported by Autosport, the tension reached its peak when the majority of manufacturers boycotted the traditional pre-event dinner ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez. Another lever used to increase pressure on MotoGP SEG was freezing rider signing announcements for 2027, despite many of them already being finalised.
The deadlock was broken over the last two weeks, when all brands individually signed the contract; so did the independent teams, with whom MotoGP SEG negotiated separately. As a result, rider market-related announcements are expected to start cascading over the coming days.
Manufacturers wanted to receive a percentage of the revenue generated by the championship, like teams do in Formula 1, which also is Liberty Media-owned. But MotoGP SEG refused to back down, keen to establish a fixed figure. Autosport understands each MotoGP team will receive under €8m annually.
Some aspects have yet to be defined, such as the promotional and marketing responsibilities each team must assume.
Led by the MSMA, the teams have agreed on the regulatory framework that will govern this period, featuring highly significant changes in key areas such as the number of bikes available to each rider during practice sessions.
“Today is a defining moment for MotoGP,” said Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP SEG, in a joint statement alongside the other executives from the respective brands. “The commitment of the five manufacturers not only highlights the strength of the championship but also the shared ambition driving its future. The focus is firmly on what lies ahead: expanding our global reach, evolving the sport, and connecting with new audiences worldwide.”
“This is the first time in the history of this discipline that all manufacturers have reached a unanimous position in an agreement with MotoGP,” Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola agreed. “This means we all share the same vision for the future. Only by working together can we exploit all the opportunities offered by the global market.”
“This agreement provides stability and a clear direction for the coming years, creating the right environment for manufacturers to continue investing in technology, performance, and talent. Although we fight fiercely on track, we are fully aligned to ensure a prosperous future,” Gigi Dall’Igna, general manager of Ducati, reflected.
“Honda confirms that our commitment to grand prix racing remains unchanged, and we look forward to continuing to compete for many years to come,” declared Koji Watanabe, president of HRC.
“It has been a long and sometimes complex negotiation,” Paolo Pavesio, managing director of Yamaha, noted. “As MotoGP enters this new phase, we see a clear opportunity to further elevate the relevance of the championship by balancing innovation, sporting excellence, and fan engagement.”
“We have poured heart, passion, and hard work into our MotoGP project. This new agreement gives us a solid foundation to keep improving, challenging ourselves, and fighting at the front against the best in the world,” his counterpart at KTM, Pit Beirer, concluded.
