MotoGP will introduce a separate qualifying session for sprint grids from 2027. The change reshapes Friday’s running and has reopened the question of how much additional strain the modern race weekend places on riders.

The new session will take place on Friday and last 15 minutes, after a 45-minute FP1 and a 30-minute FP2. Grand Prix qualifying will stay on Saturday, before the sprint, while Sunday’s warm-up will be removed. The revision therefore changes more than the starting order for one race: it alters how track activity is distributed across the weekend.

Marc Marquez questioned the main purpose of the move. In his view, the existing schedule is already demanding enough, and the added session will make race weekends more intense for competitors. He also made clear that riders do not have the final say. Teams and the organisation make those decisions, leaving riders to accept the outcome rather than determine it themselves.

Marquez also agreed with Pedro Acosta, who had argued that the extra strain could shorten riders’ careers. Acosta is described as Marquez’s future Ducati team-mate. The issue is particularly sensitive because MotoGP riders still do not have an official union to represent their collective position when major regulatory changes are considered.

Jorge Martin was more receptive to the revised format and said it would be interesting to see how it works in practice. He nevertheless shared the concern that riders are not properly consulted about major rule changes. For Martin, the question is not simply whether the schedule is popular, but whether the organisation shows meaningful interest in the competitors’ views before making important decisions.