Controversy and déjà vu: MotoGP without an agreement and the ghosts of the 1957 “Abstention Pact.”

Wednesday, 15 April 2026 at 13:04

Currently, Liberty Media and MotoGP have not reached any “Concorde Agreement.” And memory goes back to the 1957 split...

And if no agreement is reached, could we see a return of a “Non-Participation Pact” like in 1957? A very current topic for MotoGP is the so-called “Concorde Agreement,” an F1-style commercial deal that is still missing between the premier-class manufacturers and Liberty Media, thus holding up market announcements for the revolutionary 2027 (even if rumors are swirling). The new owner of the World Championship already has a wake of doubts and controversy trailing its first decisions since taking over... But let’s focus on what was mentioned right at the start. What initially was the World Speed Championship has already had its disputes with the organizers, then Dorna Sports (now MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group S.L.). And what if we were to see some farewells again? Let’s get a bit academic and take the opportunity to revisit the story of this historic moment featuring three Italian brands that took a hard line: given the lack of recognition and insufficient safety, they bid farewell to the World Championship and never returned.

The 1957 Non-Participation Pact

The current World Championship was born only in 1949, so just eight years earlier, but discord from the manufacturers was already brewing. We see mass absences at some rounds deemed inadequate in terms of safety, rising costs, and then the arrival of the Japanese manufacturers created major turmoil for the European and especially the Italian marques. Of course everything must be placed in its historical context, but the sense of déjà vu isn’t as strange as one might think... Below is the full text.

“Moto Guzzi, Moto Gilera, and Mondial, at the end of a sporting season that once again most convincingly reaffirmed the high level of Italian motorcycle industry, which has once again won the World Championship titles for both machines and riders in four categories, have examined the situation and prospects of racing activity, noting:
- that the victories achieved, indisputably compelling for the technical results obtained, have had no terms of comparison abroad due to the absence of industries from other countries, while in Italy all competitions have taken place in a climate of continual uncertainty and difficulty due to particular attitudes of the authorities and certain sectors of public opinion;
- that the performance of racing motorcycles has now reached levels of output such as to cause concern in the face of the risk to the riders and the uncertainty regarding the results that the manufacturers aim for.”

The aforementioned manufacturers have therefore agreed on the intention to abstain, starting in 1958 and until any further decision, from participating directly or indirectly in races, reserving their best interest and support for events organized under formulas not based on speed. Withdrawing, after so many years of passionate competition that yielded abundant success and resonance for Italian industry, while a source of deep regret, corresponds to the firm will to promote in the future a more intense campaign to highlight the merits of an unparalleled means of work and leisure. All this within the framework of more disciplined traffic and in light of the need to adopt production strategies that will allow the Italian motorcycle industry to excel again in other, no less arduous competitions: those imposed by the European Common Market.”

The manufacturers extend a grateful thought to the Champions who have fallen in the name of motorcycle sport and to all the riders, technicians, and workers who, for decades, have helped give Italy—through a string of shining victories on tracks around the world—an undisputed technical and sporting superiority.”

Years go by, but...

The “temporary” farewell from these three headline names of Italian motorcycling has, alas, become definitive, as we all know. Time has passed, the World Speed Championship has changed name over the years, the various categories have followed their course and so have the manufacturers, arriving at the current era we know as MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3. But here we are, in a sense, back in history: for months now there has been an arm-wrestle between the World Championship and Liberty Media (source Motorsport), no resolution has been reached, and all the promised changes for the 2027 revolution still have no official announcement, even though the twists are well known from the various reported rumors.

And yet, as mentioned, it feels like reliving a sort of plunge into the past... The current situation is not exactly rosy, especially due to international tensions and wars that are forcing every manufacturer to reassess its situation, investments—everything, in short. Not to mention that some have still not fully recovered from the Covid emergency, a real blow to everyone... Will a turning point come soon? Every moment is precious; updates are awaited that, without exaggeration, could determine the future of the World Championship.