If car enthusiasts see Formula 1 as the ultimate playground for automotive engineering brilliance, MotoGP is the exact same thing, but for the two-wheeled world. It’s where motorcycle manufacturers flex the very best of what they’re capable of, and quite frankly, the breeding ground for a lot of the innovations we eventually see on production machinery.
But while MotoGP’s prestige remains unmatched, there’s no denying that the very reason it’s alive is thanks to the manufacturers who take part in it. And in recent times, the cost to go racing in the MotoGP has done nothing but skyrocket.
This exact sentiment was echoed by no one other than Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola during the Aprilia launch event in Milan, Italy. Rivola didn’t mince words about the MotoGP’s escalating costs, even pointing directly to KTM’s financial struggles as a grim warning for the prestigious racing series.“I still believe that our sport, our business, is a bit too expensive,” Rivola told racing publication Crash.Net.
But yes, racing is and always will be expensive, but it doesn’t need to be that expensive. Rivola makes quite a good point in saying that the MotoGP doesn’t need hyper-complex machines—bikes he referred to as “aircraft on two wheels.”
And indeed, I think he’s bang on the money.
You see, bikes aside, motorcycle racing is all about telling a story. And what a story KTM has brought to fans all over the world in recent years. Despite being a fledgling player in the series, joining in 2017, the Austrian manufacturer quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with. Racers like Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira have pulled off some pretty stellar wins, particularly in 2021 when Binder clinched the Austrian GP title.
But all that success has come at quite the hefty price. The company’s recent financial troubles, although not necessarily a direct result of its participation in the MotoGP, could very well have been mitigated had it not been hemorrhaging funds to keep its MotoGP team afloat. And even now, in the heat of all the drama, KTM still says it’s working on its new MotoGP bike. I mean, seriously, does anyone even believe any of this?
It gets even harder to believe when KTM’s planned exit from MotoGP in 2026 looms large—a move that’s supposedly part of a broader cost-cutting strategy aimed ultimately at keeping KTM afloat.
But for Rivola, KTM continues to be a valuable asset to the MotoGP, and losing KTM will be a major blow to the racing series. Take note—this is all coming from Aprilia, a manufacturer that’s supposedly KTM’s rival. You’d think Rivola would be happy to see KTM leave, but no. That’s how you know shit’s getting pretty serious.
Ultimately, Rivola is optimistic that KTM will continue its MotoGP initiatives well into 2026. “And I think the championship needs KTM. It’s time to deliver good news to MotoGP because we provide, I think, the best show ever. And we are not getting back, I think, what we are delivering,” Rivola said in the same Crash.Net report.
So yeah, Rivola’s comments clearly highlight a growing concern in the MotoGP. Is the premier two-wheeled racing series trying to do too much? Perhaps it's time for the racing series to take a step back and simplify things a bit—something that might actually become a reality with Liberty Media’s potential involvement in the series.
However, taking a step back doesn’t mean going as simple as WorldSBK, which races production bikes. There’s obviously a middle ground to be found—the right balance between technological innovation and financial sustainability for those involved. At the end of the day, MotoGP doesn’t need ultra-high-performance, multi-million-dollar race bikes to tell a good story and keep fans hooked. I’m sure that the drama, skill, and spectacle of wheel-to-wheel racing will always shine through, perhaps even more so with simpler machinery.
And so, perhaps it’s time for MotoGP to take a good hard look at itself and try to make the series more accessible—not just for the fans, but more importantly, for the manufacturers who actually keep the wheels turning.
Source: Crash.Net
