MotoGP confirms Yamaha as sole Moto3 supplier in major 2028–2033 deal

The move is aimed at not only reducing costs for the championship as a whole, but providing a more level playing field for younger riders, with further junior development programs also being part of the deal. While this led to some concerns that the Moto3 class could be considered more of a 'Yamaha Cup' as a result, Yamaha's Managing Director, Paolo Pavesio, was keen to emphasize that the Yamaha branding will not be at the forefront of the project. His official statement reads:

"Moto3 has always represented the starting point of the Grand Prix dream. It is where future champions learn their craft, where talent first becomes visible and where the future of our sport begins.

"From the very beginning, our objective was not simply to build a motorcycle. Our objective was to create a platform capable of supporting riders, teams and championships for many years to come. A platform that combines accessibility, engineering efficiency and pure racing performance.

“This project brings together expertise from Yamaha Motor Co., Yamaha Motor Racing and Yamaha Motor Europe. It is a truly global Yamaha effort and one that reflects our long-term commitment to motorcycle racing and rider development.”

While the engine will be a standard production Yamaha engine, other parts of the bike will be fully adjustable for the respective teams that run them. This will ensure that there is still competition among engineers and teams, giving them a chance to develop the standard design in a number of different ways.

MotoGP's chief sporting officer, Carlos Ezpeleta, was also keen to emphasize the benefits to the overall championship as well as the new opporunities for young riders to have another way into the sport:

"We’re really proud to unveil future of Moto3, not just for the World Championship but also for its importance to grassroots programs globally. MotoGP is committed to growing the sport of motorcycling, supporting talent, and increasing accessibility in order to create the safest sport possible with the biggest audience. With this project, we are working with Yamaha to create a global platform for young riders more than simply announcing which bike they’ll ride. We believe this change will do a lot for the sport, both outside the paddock in global terms, and here within MotoGP.

"Moto3 has a key role to play in our future. In sporting terms, it’s most often the first professional step of racing for riders who go on to become the global superstars. For fans, it’s an introduction to those stars of the future and a fantastic part of every Grand Prix weekend. Our structure – with three Grand Prix classes at every event, including Moto2 and Moto3 – creates a unique fan experience. Great action, pure talent, and engineering excellence are all on display from the start of a Grand Prix to the final flag. This new era for Moto3 is designed to deliver more of each and better position the competition as the entry level class in the MotoGP World Championship. This will be a fresh platform for talent and performance to shine.”