Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta sees this to better regret it… His kingdom of Spain continues to dominate the starting grids in all categories of the Motorcycle World Championship, especially in MotoGP where 10 of the 22 permanent riders are Spanish, representing 45% of the competitors. This trend continues in Moto2, with 46% of Spanish riders, and in Moto3, where Spain is still the best represented nation, despite a smaller proportion (32%). This Spanish hegemony is explained by intensive training work from the base, in particular in Catalonia, in the Valencian Community, and more recently in Murcia. Thanks to driving schools, children’s cups and multiple regional championships, Spain has been able to develop an impressive pool of talent, as demonstrated by the consecutive titles in Moto3 since 2020.
However, this dominance is not viewed favorably abroad. There is a certain unease in the paddock, fueled by the fact that Dorna, the MotoGP promoter, is based in Barcelona and the calendar traditionally includes four races in SpainIn response to these criticisms, Dorna introduced the “Iberian Rotation” to alternate the Spanish Grand Prix, and Motorland Aragon recently suffered the consequences. Carmelo EzpeletaCEO Dorna, spoke about this situation in an interview with Diario AS, saying that Spanish presence in MotoGP would be reduced in the coming years. He explains : ” It is not possible that some drivers, having had more facilities, monopolise the grid. This must be a world championship “For him, the current situation” must change ” and he predicts ” fewer Spaniards in the future “, because ” it doesn’t add anything ». Carmelo Ezpeleta: “ Miller is a rider who has won Grand Prix in MotoGP and the one who criticizes him has won fewer. »
Ezpeleta also stresses the need to provide opportunities to those who have not had them. He takes the example of Jack Miller, which was preferred to Sergio García for a handlebar at Pramac Yamaha. Aleix Espargaró, who had criticized the choice of Miller and Morbidely, is reminded by Ezpeleta that these drivers have respectable track records. In this sense, the boss of Dorna recalls the importance of varying the nationalities present and no longer concentrating solely on Spanish and Italian talents.
The boss of Dorna even becomes an assassin… ” There are Spaniards who are still riding, and I’m not going to say who, there are some who shouldn’t be here. This can’t be a world championship and continue to include mainly Spaniards and Italians “. Then he mentions: “ In Miller’s case, it’s very clear, because he is a rider who has won Grand Prix in MotoGP and the one who criticizes him has won fewer ». To Ezpeleta, it is also crucial to review the distribution of the Grand Prix. We cannot continue to have four Grand Prix in Spain “, he concluded. A statement that suggests important changes for the future of MotoGP, both in terms of riders and circuits.
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