Author Archives: PressBox

Manufacturers have proposed limiting each premier-class rider to a single bike from 2027 as a cost-cutting measure, a plan now being assessed by the championship promoter and Liberty Media as part of negotiations for the 2027–2031 Concorde Agreement. The change would remove the current two-bike option that allows riders to run divergent set-up directions and to swap machines in flag-to-flag races, and it would likely end flag-to-flag racing in its present form. Organizers and teams have discussed alternatives to manage changing weather and tire needs, including reintroducing mandatory red-flag stops or adopting garage pit stops with mandatory minimum times similar to WorldSBK, since typical flag-to-flag bike swaps are sub-three-second operations and would be impractical under a one-bike limit.

The proposal raises safety and sporting concerns because riders would have no spare machine available in practice or qualifying if they crash, and teams would lose the instant fallback that two bikes provide. Reports cite the Catalan Grand Prix, saying Pedro Acosta and race winner Fabio Di Giannantonio would have been unable to restart after damaging their primary bikes under a one-bike rule. Comparisons have been made to Moto2 and Moto3, which have used a one-bike model since 2010, and to WorldSBK, where teams can keep an uncertified spare in the truck that requires technical-inspector authorization if a major component is damaged. It remains unclear whether teams would be allowed to assemble a backup machine from truck spares or exactly how any new pit-stop procedure would be written, and organizers have not quantified projected savings.

The plan has prompted pushback and controversy during negotiations. Yamaha, Aprilia and KTM reportedly boycotted a factories meeting at Jerez, several rider announcements for 2027 have been delayed, and fans voiced strong criticism on social media, with some saying “this isn’t F1” and others drawing parallels to Formula 1’s 2008 spare-car ban. Any amendment to the two-bikes-per-rider rule would need a formal vote and approval by the Grand Prix Commission, and manufacturers’ objections and ongoing talks mean the proposal remains contested and could change before any adoption for the 2027–2031 period.

Toprak Razgatlioglu showed clear progress adapting to MotoGP on Yamaha’s updated M1 at the post-race Barcelona test. He completed 45 laps, the most of any rider, and said he really liked the new chassis because it improved corner entry, rear grip and consistency. Pramac team principal Gino Borsoi said the data show Toprak is learning to ride like Fabio Quartararo in many corners. The team ran the updated chassis and aerodynamic upgrades during the test, and Razgatlioglu said he is likely to race the updated package at Mugello on May 29-31.

Significant weaknesses remained on one lap and in race trim. Razgatlioglu could not unlock peak pace on Michelin’s soft tire, a dedicated soft-tire time attack left him 19th and last on the timesheets, about 1.257 seconds off the top. He crashed in Q1 at the Catalan GP and race officials demoted him from 15th to 16th after a tire-pressure penalty that cost him points. His race best lap was 0.630 seconds slower than the race winner, Fabio di Giannantonio, though it was within 0.2 seconds of teammate Fabio Quartararo’s best. Pramac and Razgatlioglu trace the shortfall to muscle memory from his World Superbike style, which biases him toward demanding exit grip rather than holding corner speed on the soft compound. After six rounds he sits 22nd in the championship.

Yamaha and Pramac said they will continue developing the M1, but straight-line speed remains a clear limitation. Yamaha managing director Paolo Pavesio warned Razgatlioglu is at “rock bottom” with the YZR-M1, but said the rider can adapt over time and must internalize adjustments. There is no confirmed engine update to fix the V4’s top-speed deficit, and the team said they hope to address straight-line issues with further updates and setup work. Feedback on Yamaha’s aerodynamic package was mixed, Jack Miller and Fabio Quartararo responded positively while several riders disliked the new front aero and said it needs more development. The Barcelona test was interrupted by a midday rain shower that limited running; Pedro Acosta set the fastest lap at 1:38.767 and Quartararo was second on 1:38.831.