MotoGP is considering giving its sprint races a separate qualifying process from 2027, according to a report by Motorsport. The proposal has been put to manufacturers and teams and would separate the sprint grid from the one used for the Grand Prix. Exactly how the revised format would work has not yet been decided.

At present, one qualifying result sets the starting order for both races. Friday consists of a 45-minute FP1 followed by 60-minute Practice, which sends the top 10 riders directly into Q2. Saturday brings a 30-minute FP2, a 15-minute Q1, a 15-minute Q2 and a sprint covering half the main race distance. Sunday includes a 10-minute warm-up and the full-distance Grand Prix.

MotoGP introduced sprint races in 2023 and runs them at every round on the calendar. Adding another qualifying session would therefore affect an already compressed weekend. Riders have indicated that the current schedule is demanding, with track sessions taking place alongside sponsor activations and media duties. The proposal’s practical impact would depend on the final timetable and sporting format.

Formal approval is still needed

The change must be formally ratified by the Grand Prix Commission before it can enter the regulations. A 2027 introduction is consequently not guaranteed. An earlier proposal to restrict teams to one motorcycle from the following season collapsed, illustrating that a discussion can still fail to become a rule.

It is also unclear how extensively the riders have been consulted. There is a precedent for that concern: at the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix, riders learned through the media that MotoGP had approved the introduction of sprints. Formula 1 is due to have 10 sprint events in 2027, 12 fewer than MotoGP’s total for a season according to the available figures. That difference underlines the potential significance of any extra qualifying session in MotoGP’s already busy calendar.