MotoGP will not increase its number of races beyond 22 per season, reaffirmed MotoGP Sporting Director Carlos Ezpeleta during the 2025 season, emphasizing that the Moto2 and Moto3 classes will continue to participate at every event. This stance addresses growing concerns surrounding the expanding MotoGP calendar and its impact on riders and teams.
Current Limits on the MotoGP Calendar and Season Structure
For years, MotoGP maintained a schedule of around 18 races but gradually expanded the calendar in recent seasons, with 2025 set to feature a record 22 races. This growth has led to unease among riders and fans about the season’s length and sustainability, especially since the introduction of Sprint races in 2023, which increased the number of race starts for participants to more than 40 per year.
Given Liberty Media’s majority acquisition of Dorna earlier in 2024, there was speculation that the calendar might further extend, similar to the expansion seen in Formula 1 after Liberty’s 2016 takeover. However, Ezpeleta has publicly dismissed plans to add more events beyond the current limit.
We don’t have any vision at all of going over and above 22 races,
confirmed Ezpeleta during an interview with British broadcaster TNT Sports at the Indonesian Grand Prix.
Maintaining Moto2 and Moto3 Presence Across All Events
Before the Asian leg of the 2025 season, rumors spread that Moto2 and Moto3 would be sidelined at races outside Europe to reduce logistical burdens. Ezpeleta clarified that the inclusion of these classes at every race remains a priority so long as the teams involved support continuing full participation.
All the conversations we’ve ever had with Moto3 and Moto2 teams, they’ve always said it’s essential for them to be at every single event, and we would never proactively not want them at an event,
he explained.
Ezpeleta added that if the smaller class teams were unable to commit to the full calendar, the organizers would work with them to find solutions, but it is not currently their target to exclude these classes from any event.
It would be a different conversation if the Moto3 and Moto2 teams came and said ‘We can no longer make 22 races’. That would be a different conversation and we would try to help them stay at all events.
But by no means is it our target for them to not be with us at every event.
Adjustments to Paddock Facilities for Expanding MotoGP Teams
While Moto2 and Moto3 remain integral to the MotoGP championship, Ezpeleta acknowledged the growing demands of MotoGP teams on paddock space due to the sport’s expansion. This has led to plans to change how lower-tier teams are accommodated, notably reducing their presence in the pit garages to allow more room for top-class operations.
It’s become quite obvious that the MotoGP teams need more space for their operations just because of how big this sport [has become],
Ezpeleta remarked.
He pointed out that existing venues limit how much the paddock can be adapted, especially at circuits already on the calendar. Many Moto2 and Moto3 teams currently use tents rather than permanent garage spaces, and improvements are planned to make these working environments better and more equitable.
Our idea is to, one, improve those tents so they have a better working space; two, make it more fair, because I think in places where you have some in tents and some in the pit lane it actually [could be considered] even an unfair advantage sporting-wise.
The reality is that we want to build on the presence of the paddock, magnify the value that it has to be here, and that will probably mean reshuffling a number of things, but Moto2 and Moto3 will of course have better working space and will have the same presence as they have now.
Implications for the Future of MotoGP and Its Supporting Classes
The confirmation that the MotoGP calendar will not surpass 22 races offers some relief amid growing concerns regarding the season’s intensity and sustainability. Riders, teams, and fans can expect a stable schedule while the championship manages increasing operational demands within its paddock.
Ensuring the continued participation of Moto2 and Moto3 at all rounds preserves the sport’s developmental ladder, which is vital for nurturing new talent. However, adjustments to paddock arrangements may heighten tensions as these changes impact team logistics and fairness in working conditions.
Overall, MotoGP’s approach reflects a careful balance between growth ambitions and maintaining athlete welfare and competitive integrity, even as external pressures from venue limitations and calendar complexity rise. Future seasons will likely focus on refining existing infrastructures and operational models rather than extending the number of events.
