The Dunlop footbridge no longer exists But this will obviously not prevent the Michelin Grand Prix of France MotoGP to take place in Le Mans May 8-10, 2026.
After the success and record audience achieved in 2025, it may seem difficult to do better in the 2026 season, so we asked its organizer, Claude Michy, what avenues of work were being explored for the upcoming edition…
This interview, part of which we are publishing here, took place during the last Grand Prix of the season, in Valencia.
🎤 Claude Michy, you are present for the MotoGP Grand Prix in Valencia with your children, Victoria and Philibert. Is this simply a visit from a passionate fan or a business trip?
“Why? First of all, these are the two general managers of the store. We’re with Jocelyn Bénony, who’s been our sales representative for 18 years, I think. Actually, everyone’s here. So it allows us to have the meetings we have with Dorna, with partners, with journalists, all the people we’ve met here. I’m a down-to-earth countryman, so it’s better than emails (laughs). No, but it allows us to meet people, to exchange ideas, and then to find out what’s going on, to see the developments that might be happening, in which direction they’re going, how long they’ll last. So that’s the issue.”
🎤 Okay, so we also want to know what's happening, what the developments are. Let's start with the French Grand Prix. What can future visitors expect for the 2026 edition?
“We put the tickets on sale on October 7th and all the grandstands and individual VIP seats were snapped up immediately. It lasted an hour, an hour and a half, so that’s good news, but that’s what I was saying to Fabio (Quartararo) earlier when I saw him and he told me the numbers were fantastic. I told him, ‘Yes, but it’s thanks to you, you’re the ones who make it happen! We only have the show.’”
So, the idea is to try and improve things as much as possible. We've added almost 3000 grandstand seats with a new homologation we received, but that means we need to find new spaces for hosting guests, camping, parking, etc. In fact, I'm in Le Mans on Monday and Tuesday to try and get all that organized. Then, well, things are changing; there's no more MotoE, so we need to consider the space it took up, the time it took, and what it will be used for…
🎤 Will there be Harleys or not?
“No, no Harley, so I’m also trying to find entertainment that appeals to the public. One thing that works very well is the show ‘En Pole,’ which is broadcast live on Thursday evenings, and which Canal+ will continue to air. I’m trying to work on this to find the right solutions and see what we can develop. Perhaps create a fan zone on Thursday late afternoons, because there are already a lot of people there. Not with the riders, because I think that’s complicated for them, but perhaps with team managers, with people who are interesting to the fans and who can provide valuable information.”
🎤 The arrival of Liberty Media, for you, what does it change or not, for you?
"We'll wait and see."
🎤 Aren't there already some early signs?
“No, for the moment, our contacts haven’t changed. That’s the first point. My relationship with Carmelo Ezpeleta means that if there’s something that doesn’t seem to fit the spirit, I tell him (laughs). Because I think the world is changing and therefore everything is evolving, but there’s a ‘step-by-step’ aspect. Besides, motorcycling is a community, it’s really unique. So even if we’ve broadened it, it’s still a mindset. Formula 1 is something else entirely, it’s a different world. The resources aren’t the same, the economics are completely different. So I think Liberty Media will be guided to make adjustments and to do so in a way that respects the spirit of what’s been done for the last 30 years.” or more by Dorna, and it works.
🎤 Because we can already see a certain degree of concern in the paddock…
“Yes, but worrying has never led to a solution. People need to talk to each other. I think that the way Carmelo Ezpeleta and Dorna put things in place is working and has allowed us to have what we have today. They helped the satellite teams, which is good and should continue, and this has ensured that the grid remains valuable and rewarding. As for us, the organizers, we organize something based on the contract we signed and the existing product. So the changes can't be as significant as, I think, people might dream of, because the product has to conform to what we signed. That's important. And given our relationships, we're able, especially with the people at Dorna, or Carlos Ezpeleta, to tell them, ‘This might not seem like a bad idea to me, but it would need to be adapted to the situation.’” I think we shouldn't be closed to change, but people need to talk to each other.
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