Following an announcement that outlined a handful of changes to the current regulations, MotoGP is also putting an end to wildcard entries for teams and manufacturers starting in 2027. And people are none too happy about it.
This decision puts an end to a rule that provided manufacturers with the chance to test new materials or develop future prototypes. And according to the press release from MotoGP, it "will apply to all manufacturers, regardless of their Concession Rank."
What this rule change does is that it ends the long-standing practice of guest riders and test pilots appearing at Grand Prix races across the calendar. Yamaha, for example, had several wildcard entries towards the end of the 2025 season in an effort to develop its new V4 powerplant. And over the last few seasons, we’ve seen factory test riders like Dani Pedrosa (KTM) and Aleix Espargaro (Honda) make cameo appearances on the MotoGP grid.
