MotoGP announcement set for this week - what could it be?

MotoGP is set to make a ‘special announcement’ tomorrow, as announced on social media, but what might it be about?

Raul Fernandez, 2023 MotoGP Valencia Grand Prix. - Gold and Goose

An announcement is set to be made by MotoGP on 5 December, but exactly what it might concern is currently uncertain.

Unfortunately, MotoGP is unlikely to be making an announcement tomorrow regarding the restriction of aerodynamics, or the removal of the controversial tyre pressure rule that will begin disqualifying riders from the start of the 2024 season in Qatar. This is partly because such an announcement would be made in a more formal way than a social media post, but mostly because such rules cannot be changed (apart from on safety grounds) until the current manufacturer contracts are up in 2027.

Instead, the announcement is likely to be something that has more capacity for immediate publicisation.

One possibility is that MotoGP has a new documentary to release on its VideoPass service, perhaps looking into the final stages of the 2023 title battle or, potentially, a behind the scenes look at Marc Marquez’ first test with the Gresini team and the Ducati Desmosedici machinery in Valencia.

MotoGP has made several such documentaries, including about Marquez, in the past, and both the 2023 title battle and Marquez’ move away from Honda have been high-intrigue storylines in the latter stages of the past season.

Another particularly noteworthy story was one which emerged over the course of the Valencia weekend, which revealed that the CryptoData RNF team - which ran satellite Aprilia machinery in 2023 - would not be returning in 2024. A fiery response was issued by CryptoData CEO Ovidiu Toma in which he said that he would sue MotoGP promoters Dorna, but German outlet Speedweek reported last week that Mr. Toma had already been in Madrid to have 'peace talks' with Dorna.

The announcement of the CryptoData team’s banishment from the championship ahead of 2024 was accompanied by the affirmation that new owners for MotoGP’s satellite Aprilia team were being sought.

During the Valencia weekend, Autosport reported that the NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing, owned by former NASCAR racer Justin Marks and the rapper Pitbull (Armando Christian Perez), is the most likely organisation to take over the running of the satellite Aprilia team.

With confirmation about the team’s ownership yet to be published, this could be the announcement MotoGP is set to make on Tuesday.