MotoGP will introduce a separate qualifying session for Sprints from 2027, giving the Saturday and Sunday races their own starting grids.
The change, announced on Wednesday, replaces the current system in which Saturday’s qualifying results determine starting positions for both races.
Under the new format, all riders will contest a 15-minute Sprint qualifying session on Friday to set the grid for Saturday’s shorter race.
Qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix will remain on Saturday, but the process will also change.
Every rider will take part in Q1, with the fastest 12 advancing to Q2 to decide pole position and the front four rows.
Currently, the top 10 riders from Friday’s timed Practice session go directly into Q2, where they are joined by the two fastest from Q1.
This system has been used since the 2023 British Grand Prix, when Friday morning’s times stopped counting towards qualifying to allow riders to focus on bike setup rather than chasing a fast lap.
That route will disappear next year, with Friday’s Practice replaced by a 30-minute Free Practice 2 session that will not determine entry into qualifying.
Sunday’s 10-minute warm-up will also be removed. Instead, the pit lane will open for 10 minutes before the Grand Prix, allowing riders to complete multiple sighting laps for their final checks.
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