Yamaha and Honda to receive concessions - even if teams don’t agree unanimously

Dorna had previously floated the idea to tweak a MotoGP rule and allow the struggling Japanese manufacturer more technical privileges to help them become more competitive.

Ducati, Aprilia and KTM have not been particularly welcoming to the suggestion.

But Carmelo Ezpeleta, Dorna CEO, insists the concessions can go ahead even without approval from every team.

"Why is it difficult? Because you have to convince people,” he was quoted by Marca. 

“We have a theory which is that technical changes in the middle of a period, which is five years, I want them to be made unanimously. 

“But if they can't be made unanimously... well, we will have to think by majority. 

“But I prefer to convince people.

"There will be changes. The concessions is something that was done when Ducati, in its day, did not win and Yamaha and Honda were generous in letting the brands that entered have some benefits. 

“And we are going to try to achieve it again for next year. 

“It's not that there are concessions for Yamaha and Honda, it's that the concession system is more adapted to what is the reality of the results now. It's about being competitive. 

“From the moral point of view, those who once gave way to concessions are the ones who are now, theoretically, most in need.”

Concessions - a range of technical perks to enable teams to get up to speed quicker - were dished out to Ducati, Suzuki, KTM and Aprilia in the past.

As the teams improved, their concessions were reduced.

In 2016 the rule changed when mandatory use of the standard ECU was introduced.

The new 2023 weekend format, which includes sprint races and lessens practice, allows less time for struggling teams to develop their bikes.

The current rule only allows concessions for a team which hasn’t earned a podium finish in an entire season - but Yamaha and Honda have both managed this in 2023, hence the suggested tweak of the rule.

Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and Honda’s Marc Marquez are the two high-profile victims of their manufacturers’ struggles.

Ezpeleta said: "I see that they are two fantastic riders who do not have the bike they need at the moment. 

“We have to know that the differences are very minimal. 

“Marc, in training times, is less than a second behind the winner. 

“Things are very competitive and if something goes wrong, you're gone.

“Normally, Marc solved many of those things, and Quartararo too. 

“You have to see what their teammates do. The teammates of Marc, like Quartararo, they don't usually beat them.”

Ezpeleta said about the possibility of expanding the grid: “More teams? Those that exist have an agreement until 2026. “More motorcycles? We want fewer, that there be 22 and not 24.”