Liberty is losing patience
The MotoGP rider market has now reached the ‘side dishes’ after the main courses have already been consumed by the big protagonists of the grid, but the fact that announcements are not coming indicates that the negotiations between the manufacturers and Liberty Media for the new ‘Concorde Pact’ – which would be valid from 2027 to 2031 – are still at sea.
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In fact, more than being at sea, it can easily be called a storm because according to motorsport.com after the last proposal from Liberty Media there was a very strong political response from Aprilia, Yamaha and KTM. These three manufacturers, in fact, boycotted a dinner-event organized on the sidelines of the Jerez weekend attended by all the highest ‘ranks’ and representatives of the future leadership group.
Everything had been arranged in the smallest details and the invitations had been sent well in advance. The tables of Aprilia, KTM and Yamaha, however, remained empty. Ducati was represented by Davide Tardozzi and the head of the press office, the same tactic adopted by Honda for which Alberto Puig was present. The subject of contention is the presence of the manufacturers at the decision-making table. Massimo Rivola is the new president of the MSMA (the acronym that brings together all the manufacturers), Lin Jarvis (ex Yamaha) has been entrusted with the task of being the new negotiator with Dorna and their intention is to become part of the governance not passively accepting Liberty Media’s decisions.
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The ‘deserters’ want to have decision-making power at the level of, for example, the calendar and the stages to propose, moreover the redistribution of revenues should not be equal from their point of view, but progressive based on results. After this slight, Liberty Media decided to change strategy and is ready to start individual negotiations with the Manufacturers instead of pursuing the ‘Concorde Pact’. The new ownership has indicated the Le Mans weekend as the final deadline to reach a collective agreement, if there is no white smoke in France then the green light for individual negotiations will be definitive for a front that has already split with Ducati and Honda more moderate and open to dialogue with Liberty Media unlike Aprilia, KTM and Yamaha.
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