The 2027 MotoGP grid will feature 22 riders, but five prominent names from the current season will not be on the starting line, according to official team announcements.
The reshuffling of the premier class roster brings a mix of new faces and returning stars, but also marks the end of an era for several established competitors.
The official rider lineups for the 2027 MotoGP season have been confirmed, revealing a total of 22 riders set to battle for the world championship. While many riders have switched teams, others have remained with their squads. However, five riders who competed in the current season will not continue in the premier class next year, detikOto reported.
Riders Transitioning to World Superbike
Three of the departing riders will join the World Superbike (WorldSBK) grid for 2027, adding more top-tier talent to the series. Jack Miller, Franco Morbidelli, and Brad Binder, all of whom have won MotoGP races, are among the most notable names joining WorldSBK, Liputan6.com reported.
Franco Morbidelli is ending his nine-year stint in MotoGP to move to WorldSBK with the Aruba.it Racing team. He will team up with Iker Lecuona. Morbidelli’s best MotoGP result was runner-up in the 2020 season with Yamaha, where he won three races.
His momentum was later hampered by a knee injury. Valentino Rossi later recruited Morbidelli for the VR46 Racing Team in 2024, but he struggled to consistently challenge for the top positions, detikOto reported.
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Jack Miller is also leaving MotoGP to join Yamaha in WorldSBK, where he will race for the 2027-2028 seasons. Miller debuted in the premier class with Honda in 2015 and rode for four different manufacturers. His most impressive MotoGP victory came at Assen in 2016, when he started 18th and won in heavy rain, detikOto reported.
Brad Binder will compete in WorldSBK with BMW in 2027, reuniting with former MotoGP teammate Miguel Oliveira. Oliveira is said to be enthusiastic about the opportunity to be on the same team as Binder again, detikOto reported.
Riders Parting Ways with MotoGP
The exits of Miller, Morbidelli, and Binder show talent moving from MotoGP to WorldSBK. Sumbawanews said that this influx of experienced winners, along with the introduction of Michelin as the sole tire supplier for WorldSBK, marks the beginning of a new era for the championship. Ducati will lead the grid with nine riders, followed by Yamaha with six.
Maverick Vinales will not have a seat on the 2027 MotoGP grid following a series of misunderstandings with KTM Tech3. Vinales expressed his disappointment with the team and blamed KTM for his inability to continue racing in MotoGP.
During his time in the premier class, Vinales became the first rider to win races with three different manufacturers: Suzuki, Yamaha, and Aprilia. His future beyond MotoGP remains unclear, with no reported agreement with WorldSBK at this time, detikOto reported.
One rider is stepping away entirely from two-wheeled racing. Alex Rins has decided to leave MotoGP for the 2027 season and retire from motorcycle racing altogether. Rins has indicated that his future may lie in car racing, though he has not provided specific details. He has competed in MotoGP since 2017 and won six Grand Prix races, detikOto reported.
The 2027 MotoGP Grid
The confirmed 2027 MotoGP grid features a mix of championship contenders and rising talent across the eleven teams. The lineup includes major moves, such as Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura joining Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, and Marc Marquez pairing with Pedro Acosta at Ducati Lenovo.
Here is the full list of 22 riders who will compete in the 2027 MotoGP season:
- Aprilia Racing: Marco Bezzecchi, Francesco Bagnaia
- Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP: Jorge Martin, Ai Ogura
- Ducati Lenovo: Marc Marquez, Pedro Acosta
- BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP: Joan Mir, Daniel Holgado
- Red Bull KTM Factory Racing: Alex Marquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio.
- Honda HRC Castrol: Fabio Quartararo, Diogo Moreira.
- Castrol Honda LCR: Johann Zarco, David Alonso.
- Superfile Trackhouse MotoGP Team: Raul Fernandez, Enea Bastianini.
- Red Bull KTM Tech3: Luca Marini, Senna Agius
- Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing: Fermin Aldeguer, Nicolo Bulega
- Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP: Toprak Razgatlioglu, Izan Guevara
What’s Next for the Sport
The changes for the 2027 season reflect the dynamic nature of motorsport, where rider movements and new challenges define the sport. As the MotoGP grid prepares for a new chapter of competition, the WorldSBK championship is poised to welcome a new generation of fierce competition with the arrival of these experienced MotoGP veterans.
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