Dorna Sporting Director Carlos Ezpeleta sat down with Pol Espargaró for a frank and relaxed discussion. At just over 30 years old, this son of Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, is shouldering the growth of a MotoGP in full swing. Between memories from the paddock, confessions about the Safety Commission, and a tease about the future with Liberty Media, he delivers a passionate and lucid vision of a sport he wants to see explode worldwide with this credo: " The pilots are the heroes, our mission is to tell their stories ».
Carlos Ezpeleta, sports director of Dorna Sports, inaugurated DAZN's new program "Pol Position" alongside Pol EspargaroIn a relaxed atmosphere, but without avoiding the essential questions, he returned to his vision of MotoGP, the current challenges and the perspectives.
At just over 30 years old, Ezpeleta is one of the most influential decision-makers in the paddock. He grew up in the world of racing, and today he shares the reins of the organization with his father, Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna. Yet he sees beyond the name: " The sport and Dorna have grown a lot, and the ambition is to continue this growth. It's a very exciting time., we love what we do, and we want to go even further »
For him, the paddock is a second family. A place where passion is lived out daily, sometimes with tensions, as during the meetings of the Safety Committee. " It is a sacred space, without cameras or recordings, where pilots can speak freely " he confides.
And if disagreements arise, it is not necessarily a problem: " When there is tension between the drivers, it is sometimes easier for us. They end up bickering among themselves " he jokes, citing a tense exchange in Argentina, or the electric atmosphere around the Indian Grand Prix.
Carlos Ezpeleta: " We must show who the pilots are, their daily lives, their tastes, their families »
But beyond the track, Ezpeleta insists on one priority: the relationship with the fans. Success is not measured solely by audiences or tickets sold, but by the number of new fans we can attract, and how we retain our existing ones »
For this purpose, Dorna focuses on a more human approach to pilots. We must show who they are, their daily lives, their tastes, their families. They are the heroes, and our job is to tell their stories. »
This strategy is reflected in the proliferation of events alongside Grand Prix races, where drivers meet fans in a more intimate setting. The goal: to bring the public closer to the drivers' lives and expand the championship's audience.
Carlos Ezpeleta also addressed on motosan upcoming transformations, in particular the current takeover by Liberty Medium, expected for the summer. Everything is going very well. Liberty is believed to be able to bring a lot of value. » A change of ownership that could open new perspectives for the global expansion of MotoGP.
Finally, he mentioned 2027, a key year where new technical regulations will revolutionize motorcycles. This will probably be the biggest change in decades. The aim is to make the races even more spectacular, but also to make better use of periods without racing. Fans want to see what the drivers do the other 30 weeks of the year »
Between continuity, innovation, and openness to the world, Ezpeleta traces the lines of a MotoGP that intends to grow without denying its essence: that of a sport of passion and humanity.
