Dorna’s Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta has revealed MotoGP has no plans to increase the current grid size and any new manufacturer - such as BMW - would therefore need to merge with an existing team.

Suzuki’s sudden exit at the end of 202♔2 dropped grid numbers from 24 to 22 riders.

While initial interesꦆt was expressed in taking over the grid slots for another Independent project, running satellite bikes, it was made clear the Suzuki grid places could only be ♛inherited by a sixth manufacturer.

However, Ezpeleta has told that the ex-Suzuki places are no longer being reserved for a new project and MotoGP will remain 🥃at 22 riders.

"In the end, what matter꧙s to us is the quality of the eleven teams,” Ezpeleta said. “Whether they are provided by fi🐼ve or six manufacturers is another matter. But it is no secret that our priority at the moment is five manufacturers.

“That does not mean that we want to♒ prevent a sixth manufacturer 🗹from entering - but it does mean that another manufacturer would have to work with one of the eleven teams. 

"Eleven teams - 22 riders, that's fixed."

Those words mean BMW, currently leading the WorldSBK champion𒁏ship with Toprak Razgatlioglu and rumoured to be considering a MotoGP entry, would need to join forces with one of the six Independent teams🐟 (as Aprilia previously did with Gresini).

The upside of a Factory-Independent partnership is that the ne🌠w manufacturer gains instant access to a fully functioning Mot🌱oGP team, rather than having to build the race team from scratch.

A less likely scenario is that another of the existing manufacturers departs, in which case BMW coul๊d step in and have its own grid p♋laces.

The change of technical rules for 2027, including smaller 850cc engines, is th♏e most logical moment for a new manufacturer to enter the premier class.