How Davide Brivio would improve MotoGP format: “Split the qualifying”

Davide Brivio has enjoyed one of the broadest careers of any MotoGP team principal, leading projects for three manufacturers, working within both factory and independent structures, and spending three years in F1.

During an interview with Crash.net, the current Trackhouse boss was asked for his view on the future direction of MotoGP.

“I think from a sporting point of view, the competition in MotoGP is fine. Of course, you can always improve… Maybe, I would improve the format,” he said.

“Personally, I would split the qualifying. One qualifying for the Sprint and one qualifying for the Grand Prix race.

“It's difficult maybe to make the schedule work, but I would do this because you cannot compromise the whole weekend on Friday afternoon.”

MotoGP currently uses a single qualifying classification to set the grid for both the Sprint and the Grand Prix.

That means one bad qualifying is punished twice, or a strong qualifying is rewarded twice, ramping up the pressure.

That pressure begins on Friday afternoon, when the top ten gain direct access to Qualifying 2, with only two further places available from Saturday’s Qualifying 1.

Yellow flags, which automatically cause laps in that sector to be cancelled, are an example of how qualifying can be ruined by circumstances beyond a rider's control.

“If you get screwed by a crash or a yellow flag, it’s a shame to throw away the entire weekend,” Luca Marini said recently, with the Honda rider suggesting four riders should progress from Q1 instead of two.

Meanwhile, Brivio also stressed that technical regulations must “always” be aligned with entertainment, particularly as MotoGP prepares for the major shift to 850cc engines in 2027.

“I'm not an engineer, but I will look more and see…. We are going to face a big change of regulation, but you always have to think about what we can do to improve the show.”

Brivio, who oversaw world championships with Yamaha (Valentino Rossi) and Suzuki (Joan Mir), celebrated Trackhouse’s first MotoGP victory with Raul Fernandez at Phillip Island this season.