Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo has reignited the debate over MotoGP's sprint format, insisting the series should hold the same number of sprint races as Formula 1. His comments come as MotoGP prepares to shake up its weekend schedule in 2027.
Stakeholders are set to agree on a new format that would feature two qualifying sessions per round, likely reducing practice time. Currently, riders start both the sprint and the grand prix from the same positions, but the proposed change would see separate qualifying sessions determine the grids for each race. This mirrors F1's approach, which holds one sprint qualifying and one main qualifying on sprint weekends.
But Quartararo believes MotoGP should go further and match F1's number of sprint events. "My opinion on the sprint is that if they want to do like F1, we should do the same number of sprint races like F1," he said. "For me, this should be what we need to do."
When told that F1's newly-announced 2027 calendar features 10 sprints, up from six this year, the 2021 world champion replied: "I'm happy with 10. I'm even happy with 12."
The sprint format has not been universally popular with riders, who feel the additional races make them more vulnerable to injuries. "It's really intense. The amount of stress and everything we have during the starts. For safety, we know that the start is the most dangerous," Quartararo explained. "So, if they want to make qualifying as the sprint, I think we need to copy exactly as F1."
Quartararo also echoed complaints about riders not having enough say in shaping MotoGP's future, with a lack of a united voice making it harder to influence changes. "They had the sprints without really asking us, so I don't think they would," he said when asked if riders should be consulted. "We have sprints now, for sure they will not take those off."
He added: "We are here to ride. If they tell us to do 22 sprints, we do 22 sprints. If they tell us to do 12, we do 12. But we are not the ones who decide what we have to do."
With MotoGP set to visit Buenos Aires and Adelaide in 2027, the sprint debate is far from over. Will the series fully emulate F1? Only time will tell.
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