On Friday in Assen, Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna, was the protagonist of our exclusive interview (you can see it above) in which he spoke about the future of motorcycling, MotoGP and Superbike. With the arrival of the new technical regulations for 2027 in MotoGP, changes are therefore also expected the Superbike championship, which the Spanish CEO assures will remain under the aegis of Dorna maintaining its parallel and separate management.
There have been many events in the past few days, both in terms of the riders’ market and beyond, with Pramac’s move to Yamaha. Is this something you have helped in some way? How do you see these developments?
“I can’t say I favored them – Ezpeleta begins – even though I was obviously aware of the ongoing negotiation. It’s clear that I think it’s positive news for the championship that Yamaha has gotten more bikes that they can work with and do well“.
However, there are also those who have criticized this rush in developments, we are only a third of the way through the championship.
“I disagree, the less regulation we have the better. It is good that the parties are free to decide, placing limits would only hide these decisions to announce them later. Things come when they come and if the parties agree I don’t see what the problem is in saying things when they think it is appropriate”.
It’s been a few months since the acquisition of Liberty Media. What has changed?
“At the moment nothing yet, until the acquisition regulator gives the OK, we cannot proceed yet”.
At Misano there were also rumours among managers and journalists about the possibility that Superbike would be separated from Dorna and that the women’s world championship would be hosted by MotoGP.
“I think managers need to do their job better, because It’s a complete lie. There is no indication or interest in this regard.. When the news first reached me I was surprised myself, but there is absolutely no truth to this eventuality. Superbike and MotoGP will continue under the same roof. As for the women’s championship, we are happy with how it has started beyond the accident, and the idea is to continue in parallel with the Superbike championship.”
In the past it hasn’t always been like this, there was once a ‘war’ with Flammini.
“We have been friends with Maurizio for many years, the truth is that he managed SBK the way he thought he had to manage it. The difference is that at the beginning he was 100% owner of the Superbike but it wasn’t the current championship, those bikes were prototypes. There must be a difference between prototypes and production derivatives. To be honest, if Superbike wasn’t with us as it is now it would be difficult to continuethat’s what I think. Managing two championships allows us to support the weaker one, which at the moment is SBK, and it is better to keep them separate because if we made them concurrent it would not bring more spectators to MotoGP. So this speech is also valid for the other championships, being under the same umbrella is a help for the weaker competitions”.
Dorna runs many other championships, MotoE, the new women’s championship, the CEV now a world championship. Some might call it an abuse of a dominant position.
“It’s not like that, when in 1992 we acquired the rights for the World Championship, at the time it was the only speed championship, like motocross which has a single promoter, while the Superbike championship came later. With the FIM we have an agreement to manage speed on permanent circuits, with the sole objective of developing a single discipline”.
With the new technical regulation for 2027 you have changed MotoGP, isn’t there a risk that it will get too close to Superbike? Will you change the regulation there too?
“Of course, they have to adapt. We are of the same mind with the president of the FIM. Superbikes will have to be increasingly closer to production bikes, as it was intended from the beginning. They are already talking about it in the commission, we are not in a hurry to make this decision, but there will be a change in the regulation“.
