MotoGP set for a major return to China: Shanghai targeted for 2027

MotoGP is preparing to return to China. Dorna Sports, promoter of the World Championship, has initiated talks to bring the Grand Prix back to the Shanghai International Circuit, with the goal of reintroducing it to the calendar starting in 2027.

Between the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix, a delegation led by CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and his son Carlos, the championship’s sporting director, traveled to Shanghai to meet local authorities and visit the CFMoto headquarters, the Chinese partner of the Aspar team in Moto2 and Moto3, as reported by Motorsport.com.

Since 2022, CFMoto has strengthened its presence in the paddock thanks to its collaboration with KTM and could play a central role in the new project, supporting the promotion and organization of the event.

China has already hosted MotoGP between 2005 and 2008. Back then, Valentino Rossi won in 2005 and 2008, Dani Pedrosa in 2006, and Casey Stoner in 2007. The contract originally provided for seven editions, through 2011, but the agreement ended early. At that time, the conditions weren’t yet ripe; the various motorcycle manufacturers we see in China today had not yet emerged.

Low attendance and limited public interest, combined with insufficient promotion and legal issues involving the former circuit director, undermined the project. Now Dorna aims to adopt a solid organizational model involving multiple stakeholders.

In addition to CFMoto, Juss Sports, promoter of the Chinese Formula 1 Grand Prix since 2004, is also expected to join the new initiative. The goal is clear: a stable, safe MotoGP return to China that can win over the local audience, avoid past pitfalls, and put Shanghai back at the center of the global two-wheeled stage.

The Shanghai International Circuit is a modern and technically demanding 5.451 km track designed by Hermann Tilke. Its unique layout is inspired by the Chinese character “shàng” and is characterized by a mix of very slow corners in the opening section and long straights, including one of over a kilometer. For MotoGP’s potential return, safety updates might be necessary, but it would represent a momentous relaunch for the circuit.