Liberty Media proposes another F1-style change to MotoGP

As the majority owners look for new ways to intersect the two sports, not everyone is happy about the new changes and even the suggestion of a seemingly minor change as this has already unearthed some backlash from team owners.

The new proposal would force teams to have permanent, dedicated reserve riders, rather than the current system which allows for several test riders or wildcards to step in.

While MotoGP athletes are clearly a lot more prone to injury and need substitution more often than F1 drivers, the two sports are very different in their origins and mentality - with bike riders much more likely to compete in other series or have multiple commitments to different teams.

For example, KTM can pick from the likes of Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaro as their wildcard and test riders, but could also select any number of their signed academy riders to step in on a race weekend if need be.

Mandating reserve riders would be an additional expense for teams, and it is also not clear how their role would differ from current test riders. As things currently are, test riders are far more than just an injury stand-in, their work continues all year round with the sole purpose of improving the bike's performance, even if the rider himself is not the one using it on race weekends.

The idea seems to be an attempt to force younger talents up through the Moto3 and Moto2 systems, but many young riders will be more likely to choose another racing series rather than work their way up the ranks just to remain a reserve, as is all too often the case in F1.

Ducati team boss Davide Tardozzi has already pushed back against the proposed changes, declaring that they are simply 'not viable' for MotoGP in its current state:

"It is true that MotoGP has raised to the manufacturers its desire for teams to have reserve riders at the grands prix. I do not think it is viable. [...] At the moment, we have more priority things ahead to deal with. Do you think there are 11 riders outside of this grid with sufficient level to compete in MotoGP?"

Yamaha's Alex Rins has also opposed the change, despite the fact that he could potentially stem to benefit from it's implementation if he finds himself out of a seat in 2027:

"I, as a rider, have gone to some grand prix knowing that I was not going to race because I was injured. And it was very difficult for me, very much. [...] So, if it ends up being implemented, it can be very hard for the one who has to travel, and must stay with arms crossed all weekend."

Rins raises a key point here - would this new rule potentially force riders like Fermin Aldeguer and Marc Marquez to be sidelined for medical reasons, potentially impacting their points totals and championship chances? Even riders like Jorge Martin, who suffered terrible injuries, have shown great resilience to come back quickly from injury, meanwhile test rider Lorenzo Savadori helped contribute towards the development of what is now the fastest bike on the grid.

Rins concluded:

"I would not do it, because it would mean having to be away from home the same days as the regular riders, but knowing that the normal thing is that you do not get on the bike."