MotoGP could one day race on street circuits, according to MotoGP boss
Carmelo Ezpeleta has hinted that MotoGP could one day race on street circuits
MotoGP boss, Carmelo Ezpeleta, dropped a bombshell at the Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix, by hinting that MotoGP could (theoretically, at least) race on street circuits in the future.
The comments came at this weekend's F1 event, a race that sees the cars roaring along the famous Las Vegas Strip at speeds of over 210mph. Speaking to DAZN, Ezpeleta highlighted the work F1’s owner, Liberty Media, had made in raising the profile of Formula One, citing the Vegas race, which is now seen as one of the premier events, as evidence of that growth.
“This is an example of what Liberty Media can do,” Ezpeleta said of the Vegas GP. “[Liberty Media] are people who know a lot about entertainment, and I think we have a fantastic sport [MotoGP], which, with their help, will be even better.”
Liberty Media took control of F1 in 2017, with just a handful of proper street circuits on the calendar. Fast forward to 2025, and there are eight street circuits in F1. Earlier this year, Liberty Media completed its acquisition of the MotoGP rights holder Dorna, and it seems like Ezpeleta can see which way the wind is blowing.
Could MotoGP really race on an F1 street circuit?
The simple answer is yes. But the proper question should be ‘could MotoGP race safely on a street circuit?’. According to the Dorna boss, the answer is already ‘yes’. He doesn’t go into the detail of which track he’s talking about, but he definitely doesn’t rule it out.
“We have no problem with racing on city circuits or not; the only thing we need are run-off areas,” he said. “It’s difficult to have them here [Las Vegas], but there are some Formula 1 city circuits that we could use … When we started in 1992, our commitment was to improve safety, and we have succeeded. This is something we are not giving up on.
“But Mandalika, for example, is theoretically a city track. So, if there is a track between the streets, but with run-off areas, we’re there.”
The consensus is that Australia’s Albert Park venue could be what Ezpeleta is referring to, as it’s a proper street circuit which, thanks to its parkland setting, boasts more generous run-off areas than most. The contract to hold the Australian GP at Philip Island is due to expire post-2026, and if Dorna isn’t happy that the historic venue has invested in improvements. Phillip Island is also a fairly isolated venue, sitting on the coast some two hours from the nearest big city of Melbourne. A MotoGP located in the heart of Melbourne could boost spectator numbers at the track, helping to flog more of the lucrative experience packages Liberty Media is so keen to push.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
