MotoGP to Split Sprint and Grand Prix Grids Under 2027 Schedule Overhaul
MotoGP will adopt a different weekend schedule starting in 2027, with separate qualifying sessions setting the grids for the Sprint and the Grand Prix. Friday will include FP1, a shorter FP2, and a new 15-minute Sprint qualifying, while Saturday adds FP3 and GP qualifying before the Sprint. Sunday will start with Moto3 and Moto2 races, and MotoGP will use a ten-minute pitlane session for sighting laps before the main race.
Starting in 2027, MotoGP weekends will feature two distinct grids. Friday will hold a 45-minute FP1, a 30-minute FP2 that does not count toward advancement, and a 15-minute Sprint qualifying open to all riders. Saturday adds a 20-minute FP3, then GP Q1 for everyone and GP Q2 for the fastest twelve, before the Sprint uses Friday’s qualifying order.
Sunday’s schedule shifts the Moto3 and Moto2 races ahead of MotoGP. Instead of a traditional warm-up, riders will get ten minutes of pitlane access for several reconnaissance laps before the Grand Prix, whose grid comes from GP qualifying. The format was confirmed by the Grand Prix Commission and accompanies new technical rules.
The revised schedule may give spectators more meaningful sessions across three days, potentially increasing the value of a race weekend ticket and boosting attendance or viewing. Teams and riders could face altered preparation rhythms, with less continuous track time but separate qualifying goals. Broadcasters and circuits may need to adapt programming and staffing. Because the format is not yet in effect, its social and commercial effects remain uncertain.