– Liberty Media, the owner of the commercial rights to the MotoGP World Championship, announced on Tuesday that Carlos Ezpeleta has been appointed Deputy CEO and confirmed his father Carmelo as CEO.
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This move is seen as a sign that the US company is further strengthening its confidence in the Ezpeleta family as leaders within the structure of the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (MotoGP SEG), formerly Dorna.
The announcement also confirms that Carmelo Ezpeleta remains in his position as CEO, while being supported by his son Carlos, who is promoted from his previous role as Sporting Director.
“The MotoGP Group today announced the appointment of Carlos Ezpeleta as Deputy CEO. This recognizes his significant contribution to the development of the sport and strengthens the leadership team for the next phase of development,” said Liberty Media in a statement.
“Carlos has played a key role in MotoGP for more than a decade. He has helped expand the international presence, strengthen strategic partnerships, improve the commercial offering, and grow the global fan base.”
Carlos Ezpeleta started in 2007 as an intern and assisted race management in reviewing TV footage of incidents. During his studies, he worked in technical inspection before joining Dorna full-time in 2013.
Initially, he worked as coordinator of the medical team and as the Safety Car driver. Since 2017, Carlos Ezpeleta has led the sporting department. In 2020, he was also appointed managing director of the company.
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In 2021, he was promoted to Sporting Director. He is directly responsible for the sporting and technical areas of the championships. Now the 35-year-old has been promoted to Deputy CEO.
Derek Chang, CEO of Liberty Media, says: “MotoGP has built a strong global foundation, and we see a great opportunity to take the sport to the next level.”
“Carlos brings the experience, vision, and deep understanding of MotoGP needed for this transformation. We look forward to supporting him in this new role.”
Since the entertainment giant, which also owns Formula 1, took control of MotoGP, global expansion and deeper penetration of key markets such as the USA have been top priorities.
Against this background, MotoGP SEG is undergoing a restructuring, mainly affecting the promotion and marketing area, with the goal of increasing presence and expanding the audience.
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Carmelo Ezpeleta says about his son: “Carlos has played a central role in the growth of MotoGP for many years. His experience spans all areas of our business. His leadership qualities, vision, and passion for the sport make him the ideal person to lead MotoGP into its next chapter.”
