Now, here is a wild twist to how the championship operates. As Motorsport.com Italia reports, the upcoming shake-up to the MotoGP grand prix weekend scheduled for 2027 isn't some arbitrary decree from the promoters. No, the whole thing was pushed entirely by the teams themselves.
The FIM officially confirmed the adjustments, which will radically alter the timetable starting next season. Ever since sprint races burst onto the scene in 2023, a single Saturday morning qualifying session has set the grid for both the sprint and the main grand prix. But from 2027, Friday afternoon gets its very own dedicated 15-minute sprint qualifying session featuring every rider on the grid. That intense dash will be preceded by two morning practice sessions: a 45-minute FP1 and a 30-minute FP2.
Saturday keeps a familiar shape minus a renamed morning session, while Sunday loses the warm-up entirely. The changes load an immense amount of pressure onto Friday, packing in an extra timed session right at the start of the weekend. Naturally, riders haven't exactly celebrated the news, reacting with skepticism and pushback over increased risks and tighter recovery windows. But the championship's promoters insist the initial push came straight from the garages.
"This change is an initiative promoted by the teams. They were the ones who came to us saying they thought the situation could be improved," explains Carlos Ezpeleta, the championship's chief sporting officer. He added that the sporting structure of the weekend is enhanced and the show further valued.
There is also a very practical mechanical reason behind the schedule chop, tied to the arrival of new 850cc engines. Total track time shrinks by 35 minutes once you factor in the removed warm-up, satisfying a manufacturer desire to limit mileage on certain components. Fridays will also kick off slightly later, checking another box on the constructors' wish list.
Ezpeleta points out that this new direction resonates heavily with a fresh crop of team principals entering the paddock, pointing to figures like Guenther Steiner at Red Bull KTM Tech 3. A new managerial class is taking charge, and they know exactly where they want to steer the series.
