– With a view to the major regulation change in MotoGP from 2027, many fans have a central question: Will the concession system to support manufacturers remain or will it disappear with the new era?
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The clear answer: The system remains. However, it will be adjusted and partially restructured in line with the new technical rules. We provide an overview.
The concession system
The concession system was originally introduced in 2014 to specifically support weaker manufacturers. Depending on sporting success, the manufacturers represented in MotoGP are divided into different categories, which grant them various development advantages.
This system has already had a major impact once: it helped Ducati at the time to catch up with the dominant Japanese manufacturers. In 2024 it was reactivated, this time with the opposite direction. Honda and Yamaha were to catch up with Ducati, which was dominating at that time.
Unified restart 2027
With the new regulations from 2027, a kind of restart also begins for the concession system. All manufacturers competing in the current season will initially start together in category B in 2027. This category is currently unoccupied: Ducati is currently in A, Aprilia, KTM and Honda in C, and Yamaha in D.
At mid-season 2027, the first reassessment will then take place. Only the results of the first races of the year are decisive. The second half of the 2026 season plays no role. The system thus effectively starts from zero. Based on the results, the classification into categories will then be made again.
Opportunity for newcomers
An important addition in the new regulations concerns potential newcomers. It literally states: “Manufacturers who did not participate in the competition in 2026 will start the 2027 season in class D. Their classification will also be reviewed at the mid-season check in 2027 based on the first half of the season.”
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This keeps the door open for new manufacturers, even though no additional brands are expected for the first season under the new technical regulations.
Reset already in Valencia
Although the regulations basically provide for two evaluation points per season – at mid-season and at the end of the year – there is a special feature in 2027. The restart takes place immediately after the last race weekend of the 2026 season in Valencia.
Immediately afterwards follows the first pre-season test for 2027, scheduled for Monday or Tuesday after the Grand Prix. This test will already be conducted entirely under the new system, with all manufacturers in category B. The results of the second half of the 2026 season will not be included in the concession system.
Teams are allowed to work with their riders for the upcoming season at this first test. However, there are restrictions: before January 1, 2027, they may neither officially speak for their team nor appear in its colors.
Stricter test rules
Another clear requirement concerns additional tests: manufacturers are not allowed to conduct further test rides with riders who are not official test riders. This is MotoGP’s response to earlier cases, such as Yamaha, which conducted additional private tests with its regular riders after the season ended in Jerez.
Thus, the concession system remains a central component of MotoGP even in the new era from 2027. The unified restart initially ensures equal opportunities, while the subsequent reclassification is intended to ensure a performance-based division of manufacturers into the known categories again.
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