“It’s not like football”: Why transfer windows wouldn’t work in MotoGP

MotoGP’s rider announcement chaos would not be solved by football-style transfer windows, in the opinion of Cal Crutchlow.

Crutchlow, who is currently riding in place of Johann Zarco at LCR Honda and rode full-time in MotoGP between 2011 and 2020, experienced a career that featured multiple high-profile moves, including his arrival in MotoGP from WorldSBK.

This season in particular has seen a bizarre rider market where there were almost-certain reports of several riders having signed contracts for 2027 back in February, but those reports came with only one official announcement, that from Aprilia regarding Marco Bezzecchi.

The rest were all left to wait while the MotoGP manufacturers negotiated with the series over the contract that will keep them in the championship until 2031.

It created a strange situation of riders’ futures being almost confirmed, but not officially so. Then, once the contract was signed between the manufacturers and MotoGP, three announcements flooded out in the space of three days, with Marc Marquez confirmed at Ducati alongside Pedro Acosta, while Francesco Bagnaia’s move to Aprilia was confirmed.

In Crutchlow’s opinion, a ‘transfer window’ would solve nothing, it would only regulate the period in which official announcements could be made, because the negotiations would happen outside the ‘window’ regardless.

“In the rider market, it's quite boring anyway, because everyone knows where they're going three months before, or even six months before it's announced anyway,” Cal Crutchlow said.

“So, having a window, I don't think will make any difference, because they will negotiate the contract the year before, or in December, or in January, so I don't think it will make a difference, apart from the announcement. 

“But most of the announcements were five months ago, because we all knew where everyone was going anyway, let's say.”

He added: “The problem is, in racing, I don't think you're ever going to change this, let's say.

“Riders will go wherever they want to go, and teams will take whichever rider they want to take. 

“I don't think it's really like football, where they are at one manufacturer in the day, and then in the evening they're signing for someone else. It doesn't work like that as much. 

“I have a lot to say about it, but not that we can publish, that's sure!”

Crutchlow’s comments came on the Thursday ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. In the four days since the race, the futures of four more riders have been confirmed, with Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura being announced as factory Yamaha riders for 2027, and Joan Mir and Dani Holgado being confirmed at Gresini Racing.