Under One Roof: Liberty Media’s Plan to Bring F1 and MotoGP Together
After Liberty Media, which has held F1’s commercial rights since 2017, acquired a majority stake in MotoGP from Dorna Sports for EUR 4.2 billion a year and a half ago, collaborations between the two championships have become increasingly common. We have already seen F1 drivers waving the chequered flag at MotoGP races and MotoGP riders visiting team garages and walking through the paddock during F1 weekends. Isack Hadjar waved the chequered flag at the Michelin Grand Prix of France in Le Mans in May 2026, and Kimi Antonelli did the same at the Brembo Grand Prix of Italy in Mugello later that month. During the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona-Catalunya, Marc Márquez visited the Audi garage, while Pedro Acosta took a photo with Max Verstappen and shared a light-hearted, albeit slightly awkward, exchange with Franco Colapinto after losing a bet. One of Formula 1’s most prominent commentators, Martin Brundle, interviewed two-time MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner (2007, 2011) on the grid ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, although the latter was cut off abruptly after attempting to criticise F1’s much-debated current regulations. Some stars from both championships also maintain relationships off the track: Antonelli visited Valentino Rossi’s famous ranch in Tavullia and is good friends with Marco Bezzecchi, while Acosta has a friendship with Oscar Piastri.
Previously, there had been brand-driven joint content initiatives, such as those posted by Red Bull featuring Max Verstappen, Marc Márquez, Daniel Ricciardo, Dani Pedrosa, Carlos Sainz, and Daniil Kvyat. However, Liberty Media is planning to take it to another level, beyond promotional visits across the paddocks. Targeting the priority US market, which is Liberty’s home territory, the company has announced plans to stage MotoGP demonstration rides during the F1 weekend at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, on 23-25 October 2026. If such an initiative takes place, though, current MotoGP stars such as Marc Márquez, Marco Bezzecchi, and Jorge Martín, among others, would be unable to participate in the event, as the F1 USGP is scheduled for the same weekend as the MotoGP Australian GP at Phillip Island – the venue that is set to be replaced by the Adelaide Street Circuit in 2027, having previously hosted F1 races from 1985 to 1995. Therefore, the possibility of inviting former MotoGP riders associated with the grid’s teams is being considered, with motorcycle manufacturers reportedly agreeing to the proposal. Still, the financial aspect remains unclear, as it is yet to be decided who would cover bike transportation and operation costs, which require a certain amount of personnel.
The MotoGP Show Bikes would either be current prototypes or previous-year versions. Until now, MotoGP constructors used sport bikes branded in championship liveries, but a newly signed agreement between the teams and the promoter requires functional prototypes to be used at marketing events. Riders are expected to complete several laps of the COTA circuit during one of the F1 race weekend days, allowing spectators to see the bikes in person. Moreover, the idea of hosting a joint F1 and MotoGP race weekend is also on the table, although it remains only a concept for now and would require considerable further development.
Liberty Media hopes MotoGP can achieve a leap in commercial growth and global awareness similar to that of Formula 1. Several prominent figures have crossed over from the F1 paddock to MotoGP. In 2025, former Haas team principal (2016-2023) Guenther Steiner became head of the investment consortium that acquired the Red Bull KTM Tech3 MotoGP satellite team, which he now owns. The team also competes in Moto3 – the two-wheeled equivalent of Formula 3. Ross Brawn, the renowned Ferrari and Benetton technical director often regarded as the mastermind behind Michael Schumacher’s seven world titles and former Honda (2008) and Brawn GP (2009-2011) team principal, retired from F1 but has recently joined the Board of Directors of Pramac Racing, Yamaha’s satellite team. Davide Brivio, who led Yamaha and Suzuki to MotoGP championships as team principal (2001-2010 and 2015-2021 respectively), as well as Trackhouse Aprilia, briefly moved to F1 as Alpine’s racing director in 2021 before returning to MotoGP, where he is set to lead Honda HRC from 2027. Factory-backed Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola also spent part of his career in F1, serving as Ferrari sporting director from 2009 and Ferrari Driver Academy director from 2016 before leaving Maranello to join MotoGP in 2019.
The F1 USGP has been one of the most attended races over the years, yet the MotoGP race at the same COTA circuit has recorded relatively low ticket sales and attendance. This is particularly puzzling, given that the championship’s US riders (Kenny Roberts and his son Kenny Roberts Jr., Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz, and Nicky Hayden) have won 15 world titles – a tally that exceeds the combined number of titles won by Spanish riders, who have recently become the dominant force in MotoGP. The challenge with MotoGP’s positioning in the US is even more evident considering that the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, the country’s premier motorcycle racing series, boasts more social media followers than IndyCar, the IMSA SportsCar Championship, and several other major auto racing series.
Formula 1 and MotoGP remain championships with different histories, rules, and audiences, yet both are built around the same fundamental essence of racing. Perhaps F1’s global popularity could help boost MotoGP’s growth, while the latter’s rawer nature and greater spectacle could contribute to fans’ enjoyment of the former if Liberty Media’s two commercial assets become more closely aligned.