BARCELONA: MotoGP will bid farewell to wildcard entries from 2027, the Grand Prix Commission annou­nced on Thursday, ending a tradition that allowed manufacturers to field one-off riders to test new machinery and components in race conditions.

The decision marks a significant shift for the premier class which has long used wildcards as a development tool for struggling teams and manufacturers seeking to gain ground on their rivals.

While dominant teams like Ducati cannot field wildcards due to their concession rank, manufacturers like Aprilia, KTM, Honda and Yamaha were allowed to have wildcard entries in select grands prix.

“Wildcards in the MotoGP class will no longer be permitted from the 2027 season onwards. This will apply to all manufacturers, regardless of their Concession Rank,” the Commission said in a statement. “Wildcards will remain permitted for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes.”

Wildcards have typically featured veteran riders coming out of retirement or test riders getting rare race experience to help manufacturers develop new components.

Teams struggling for competitiveness have particularly benefited from the system, which gives them an extra bike on the grid under race conditions.

Recent examples include Aprilia using Lorenzo Savadori as a wildcard to aid their development, while Yamaha hired Augusto Fernandez for the same role, with both riders taking part in last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

The move to ban wildcards comes as MotoGP prepares for its biggest technical shake-up in years, with engine sizes shrinking from 1000cc to 850cc from next season.

However, teams eager to get a head start on the new regulations will have to wait after the Commission also ruled that wildcards cannot run the smaller 2027-spec engines during the 2026 season.

“Wildcard entries in the MotoGP class in 2026 are not permitted to run 2027-spec 850cc machinery, regardless of a manufacturers concession rank,” the Commission added.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2026