Since purchasing MotoGP, Liberty Media, which also owns Formula 1, has not hesitated to adopt trends from the four-wheeled counterpart.
Those changes include new circuits, increasingly closer to city centres like Adelaide and Goiania, expanding the VIP Village and the experience for fans willing to pay for it, and in diversifying the number of nationalities of the riders – with the primary focus of making the spectacle the cornerstone of everything.
The next key change set to be introduced into MotoGP with inspiration from F1 is a permanent reserve rider for each team.
The expanded calendar and the overload on riders caused by the current weekend schedule; with a fundamental practice session on Friday afternoon, a Saturday sprint race and the grand prix on Sunday has led to an increase in the number of injuries.
This has been a factor in the prolonged injury absences, like Marc Marquez and Jorge Martin last year, and resulted in stand-in riders who have not always been at the adequate level to be competitive in MotoGP.
Manufacturers understand the importance of test riders in the development of their prototypes; Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaro (KTM), Casey Stoner (Ducati and Honda), Aleix Espargaro (Honda) or Andrea Dovizioso (Yamaha) have been fulfilling this role, which less than 20 years ago was non-existent.
Now, MotoGP’s promoter wants to go further and is looking for an agreement with the manufacturers to ensure each factory has one or two permanent reserve riders, who travel to all the events and who are prepared to go out on track in case one of the regular riders cannot do so. The idea is that those substitutes can step in at the official team or at a satellite squad of the manufacturer.
Maverick Vinales, Red Bull KTM Tech 3
A recent example that would be resolved by this new push would be Tech3 not dropping down to one rider in Austin when Maverick Vinales withdrew from the action on Friday, after confirming his shoulder injury prevented him from competing. Espargaro, KTM test rider and fully fit, was in Texas in his role as a TV commentator and could have raced in his place. However, that did not occur because the Spanish rider did not have his race suit.
Reserve drivers in F1
In F1, while not strictly written in the regulations, each team is required to have a reserve driver it can call upon if needed. In 2026 the current roster of F1 reserve drivers is: Leonardo Fornaroli and Pato O’Ward (McLaren), Fred Vesti (Mercedes), Yuki Tsunoda and Ayumu Iwasa (Red Bull and Racing Bulls), Antonio Giovinazzi (Ferrari), Luke Browning (Williams), Jack Doohan and Ryo Hirakawa (Haas), Jak Crawford and Stoffel Vandoorne (Aston Martin), Paul Aron and Kush Maini (Alpine), and Zhou Guanyu (Cadillac). Curiously, Audi is the only F1 team without a confirmed reserve driver.
Each driver has some F1 experience, as prescribed by the FIA Super Licence system, but most are unlikely to be called upon unless it is an emergency.
“It is true that MotoGP has raised to the manufacturers its desire for teams to have reserve riders at the grands prix,” Ducati’s Davide Tardozzi admitted to Autosport when asked about this matter. However, the veteran team manager of the Bologna-based team does not see it happening so easily.
“I do not think it is viable. At the moment, we have more priority things ahead to deal with,” he added, in reference to the economic aspect contemplated in the contract that constructors and the promoter are currently discussing. Tardozzi also gave a reflective point to his argument: “Do you think there are 11 riders outside of this grid with sufficient level to compete in MotoGP?”
Common sense leads to naming riders who are capable for such a demanding role are those who have raced in MotoGP in recent years; Remy Gardner, Iker Lecuona, Augusto Fernandez, Miguel Oliveira, the Espargaro brothers, Takaaki Nakagami, Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Dovizioso.
Pol Espargaro
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
It will also be an option to those riders who drop out of MotoGP but do not find a readymade alternative next year if the plan goes ahead.
One of those who has a more uncertain future and no offer on the table is Alex Rins, with whom Autosport spoke about the matter that affected him in 2023, when he was absent from 13 of the 15 rounds that were held after smashing his leg in Mugello. Rins, who was racing for LCR Honda at the time, was replaced by Stefan Bradl and Iker Lecuona. But for Rins, the role of reserve rider is not an option he sees as appealing.
“I had not heard this proposal to introduce substitute riders. In fact, I did not even know that it existed in F1,” Rins replied to Autosport when asked if that role could be of interest to him.
“I, as a rider, have gone to some grand prix knowing that I was not going to race because I was injured. And it was very difficult for me, very much,” Rins added.
“So, if it ends up being implemented, it can be very hard for the one who has to travel, and must stay with arms crossed all weekend. I would not do it, because it would mean having to be away from home the same days as the regular riders, but knowing that the normal thing is that you do not get on the bike.”
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– The Autosport.com Team
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