MotoGP's Single-Bike Proposal on the Brink of Collapse

A lack of consensus among MotoGP manufacturers has drastically altered the outlook for an Aprilia-led proposal, which aimed to limit riders to a single motorcycle during Friday and Saturday practice sessions.

Just a few races ago, most manufacturers believed that from next season, teams would remove one of their two bikes from the garage during practice, before reverting to the usual two-machine setup for the sprint race and Sunday's Grand Prix.

However, according to information obtained by motorsport.com, divisions within the Motorcycle Sport Manufacturers' Association (MSMA) have forced a rethink of the proposal, which was previously close to approval. As it stands, the initiative is at a standstill and appears highly unlikely to be implemented.

The proposal, initially put forward by Aprilia and supported by Ducati, was presented as a cost-cutting measure. Opponents of the idea, however, believe the true motivation behind the push from the two Italian manufacturers is their confidence in already holding a technical advantage with their all-new 2027 prototypes.

In theory, limiting riders to a single motorcycle during practice would slow down development and make it harder for competitors to close the existing performance gap.

The crucial factor in the proposal losing momentum is the staunch opposition from KTM. Although at one point it seemed the Austrian manufacturer was softening its stance, it ultimately remained firmly against the idea. Independent teams also oppose the change, as they see no tangible benefit from it.

Honda, for its part, avoided taking a firm stance during discussions, consistently stating it would support the majority decision.

The situation has changed dramatically in just over a month.

During an MSMA meeting held on Sunday morning of the Hungarian Grand Prix at Balaton Park, manufacturers left with the conviction that they had reached an agreement on the so-called "WorldSBK Rule" – a reference to the production bike championship where riders only have one machine in the garage. The proposal was later renamed the "Second Bike Restriction."

Although manufacturers shook hands on the deal, nothing was officially signed with sufficient legal weight to make the agreement binding. This allowed KTM to change its position, which was communicated to the other MSMA members in Assen, breaking the unanimity required to submit the proposal to the MotoGP Commission.

The Commission, comprising representatives from FIM, MSMA, IRTA, and the MotoGP promoter, is responsible for approving changes to the championship regulations by a simple majority. However, without the unanimous support of the manufacturers, the proposal is effectively blocked before it even reaches this stage.

Disagreements among manufacturers could not be resolved there, partly because Ducati General Manager Gigi Dall'Igna and Yamaha boss Paolo Pavesio were absent.

Discussions will resume in three weeks at Silverstone, where a final decision is expected on the proposal that has kept the entire paddock, including the riders, on edge. Several riders, in private conversations, described the idea of using only one motorcycle in practice as almost insane.