According to Dorna’s sporting director Carlos Ezpeleta, MotoGP does not plan to expand the current grid. This includes the entry of new teams and new manufacturers.
There have been recent rumours that BMW is looking to enter MotoGP in 2027 when new rule changes come into effect, however it now appears that the German manufacturer may not be able to enter on its own.
The number of manufacturers in MotoGP dropped from six to five by the end of 2022, when Suzuki exited the sport, just two years after winning the world championship. At the time, Dorna insisted that the new manufacturer would be able to inherit Suzuki’s old grid spaces. That may not be the case now.
Ezpeleta sat with Speedweek.com It recently stated that there are no places available on the starting grid. This is because Dorna wants the sport to stick to 22 riders and five manufacturers.
“At the end of the day, what matters to us is the quality of the 11 teams,” Ezpeleta told Speedweek. “Whether they are five or six manufacturers is another question. But it’s no secret that our priority at the moment is the five manufacturers.”
“That doesn’t mean we want to prevent a sixth manufacturer from participating, but it does mean that another manufacturer will have to work with one of the eleven teams. Eleven teams and 22 riders, that’s fixed.”
The only loophole that would allow a new manufacturer to enter MotoGP is if they entered with an existing independent team. This would allow BMW to enter with an existing MotoGP setup but would take two bikes from an existing manufacturer.
