As Motorsport.com reports ahead of the Indonesian Grand Prix, MotoGP riders are fiercely divided over a contentious new weekend format slated for 2027. The schedule shake-up, announced a day prior to the paddock's gathering, introduces a dedicated qualifying session specifically for the sprint race. While a few figures welcome the evolution, others warn it piles dangerous levels of stress and risk onto an already battered grid.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, stands firmly among those in favor. The two-time world champion pointed out that riders had long lobbied for two separate qualifying sessions following the arrival of sprint races. He also noted that the four riders present at the recent Safety Commission meeting at Motegi—where MotoGP officials including CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and his son Carlos explained the changes—offered no objections. "The four of us who were there discussed the matter, everything was clear and we understood the reasons; we simply asked to add the warm-up," said Bagnaia, though he criticized the low general attendance of four riders on Fridays and lamented the disappearance of the Sunday warm-up.
Luca Marini, Honda, shared this optimistic outlook after attending the same Safety Commission meeting with Ezpeleta. Calling the adjustments a proposal from the teams to boost the show and championship popularity, Marini backed the new direction. "Having two qualifying sessions is something we had been asking for since the sprint race was introduced into the format. So it is quite interesting," he said.
That enthusiasm is far from universal. Pedro Acosta, KTM, slammed the decision-making process entirely, arguing that riders were given no real choice. "It doesn't matter what we think, we haven't been given a choice. They have imposed it on us like this, just because," said Acosta, pointing out that finding four riders on the grid who have avoided injury all year is nearly impossible. Citing a hectic calendar with 11 sprints scheduled for 2027, Acosta argued against putting 22 riders into a 15-minute qualifying session after a Saturday crash, noting that packed schedules prevent him from attending Safety Commission meetings and leave riders mentally drained.
Alex Marquez, Gresini, echoed those frustrations regarding rider influence, placing the blame squarely on the championship and the teams. "The decision has been made between the championship and the teams; the riders have had nothing to do with it. You accept it because that's what there is. But you introduce many more moments of risk during the weekend," he said, adding that riders had consistently wanted to reduce sprint races by half or less.
Fabio Quartararo also expressed reservations as he prepares to switch from Yamaha to Honda next season without yet testing the incoming 850cc machines or Pirelli tyres arriving in 2027. Pointing out that adding extra minutes alongside new equipment is far from ideal, Quartararo suggested looking at how Formula 1 manages track time. Even so, he admitted he was unconcerned by the extra qualifying session and indifferent about losing the Sunday warm-up, concluding that the new reality will apply equally to everyone on the grid.
