Carmelo Ezpeleta, the CEO of Dorna Sports, will be absent from the MotoGP British Grand Prix this weekend due to recent surgery for a spinal injury. This will be the first time he misses a grand prix since Dorna Sports took over the championship in 1992. Ezpeleta, a Spaniard, has been dealing with chronic pain from a spinal condition affecting two vertebrae, and after managing the pain for some time, he decided to undergo surgery on Monday to address the issue. The 79-year-old hopes to make a comeback at the next round of the world championship, which will take place at Aragon in his home country in two weeks.
Ezpeleta has been a constant presence at MotoGP events since 1992, playing the role of the public face and CEO of the championship. Under his leadership, more than 500 grands prix have been organized, with Silverstone marking the 563rd event. However, this will be the first one Ezpeleta will miss. Besides being the CEO of Dorna Sports, he is also the largest individual shareholder in MotoGP within the Spanish company. Despite the upcoming sale to Liberty Media, he will maintain a stake of around 14% in the MotoGP world championship.
The sale to Liberty Media is expected to be confirmed before the summer, most likely in June, pending approval from the EU’s antitrust commission. The transition period following the sale will involve Carmelo and current sporting director Carlos Ezpeleta, who are likely to continue in their roles until the end of 2026. Starting from 2027, MotoGP will implement new technical regulations, including the introduction of 850cc engines, reduced aerodynamics, simplified ride-height devices, and a new tyre supplier, all of which were driven by Carmelo Ezpeleta himself.
Not really sure why this matters, but it seems like Ezpeleta has been a significant figure in the MotoGP world for quite some time now. It’s a bit surprising to hear that he’ll miss his first grand prix in all these years. Maybe it’s just me, but it’ll be interesting to see how things play out in his absence this weekend. But hey, who am I to judge, right?
So, there you have it. Ezpeleta will be taking a brief break from the MotoGP action due to his recent surgery. Let’s see how things unfold at Silverstone without him around and if he makes a successful comeback at Aragon in two weeks. Until then, the show must go on, with or without the big boss in attendance.
