MotoGP bans front holeshot devices

Following consultation between the FIM, MotoGP teams, riders and various other stakeholders, some significant changes have been introduced for the premier class. Two of these have already been implemented, with a third to come into effect from 2028.

The changes started with the banning of front ride height devices – also known as holeshot devices – effective from the Dutch Grand Prix in late June. Holeshot devices were brought into MotoGP by Ducati in 2018 and soon adopted by other teams. The device follows the same principle as used in motocross, lowering the front suspension to reduce the motorcycle’s centre of gravity. This reduces wheelies and allows for faster, more controlled starts.

Designed to automatically disengage under hard braking for the first corner, the holeshot device can accidentally engage, or fail to disengage, in some circumstances. Such a failure was witnessed most recently at the start of the Catalunya Grand Prix in May, resulting in a multi-rider pile-up that left LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco with serious injuries.

Rider safety concerns related to this incident and others saw the ban that was due to come into effect from 2027 brought forward. Additional practise start sessions have been introduced to compensate. Rear holeshot devices will remain in use for the rest of the 2026 season before they are also banned.

The next change concerns the extension of space on the MotoGP starting grid. Each row will remain three abreast in echelon (staggered) formation, with the same width between grid positions, but the length from one grid position to the next has been increased - from three metres to four metres. This means that second on the grid is now one metre further behind pole, third is an additional metre back from second, and so on. In turn, this means the distance from one row to the next on the grid will also increase. There’s now twelve metres (3 x 4) between P1 and P4 on the grid, instead of nine metres (3 x 3).
Introduced to increase rider safety during race starts, this change came into effect from the German Grand Prix in early July.

The final change announced in June will attempt to limit manufacturer hegemony in MotoGP. From 2028, no more than six riders will be permitted to use bikes from one manufacturer. This means that each manufacturer will be allowed to supply no more than two teams in addition to their own factory squad. This presumes that the factory and satellite teams all field two riders each. A caveat with this rule is that the six-rider-per-manufacturer limit is conditional on at least five manufacturers competing in the championship in 2028 and beyond.