F1 United States GP to host historic MotoGP appearance

Four wheels good, two wheels better? F1 fans at the Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix this weekend will be able to decide for themselves, thanks to a rare crossover event with MotoGP.

MotoGP legend Dani Pedrosa, widely regarded as the best rider in the series to never win the world title, will headline the 20-minute showcase on Saturday, being run between 11:40am to 12:00pm local time, before FP3.

Pedrosa will be joined by 27-year-old Nicolo Beluga, set to make his MotoGP debut in 2027 after becoming the first rider in history to win both the WorldSSP and WorldSBK World Championships, as well as MotoGP test riders Andrea Dovizioso and Lorenzo Savadori.

MotoGP has held an annual race at the Austin circuit since 2013 (barring 2020, when the race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic), with Marc Marquez by far the most successful rider at the track with seven victories.

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Pedrosa: You have to experience MotoGP in person

In a statement announcing the showcase, Pedrosa said: "It's always special to ride a MotoGP bike at COTA, one of the most iconic circuits in the world.

"The United States Grand Prix is a truly unique and special event on the F1 calendar, attracting an incredible crowd and providing a great opportunity to give fans a taste of what makes MotoGP so exciting. The speed, the sound and the performance of these bikes is something you have to experience in person, and I'm looking forward to sharing that with everyone in Austin."

Beluga added: “This is a fantastic opportunity to put MotoGP in front of one of the biggest crowds in world motorsport. The atmosphere at COTA is always incredible, and to ride a MotoGP bike in front of so many fans will be a special experience.

"MotoGP bikes are unlike anything else, and hopefully the laps will show just how spectacular our sport is. We're looking forward to putting on a great show and giving fans a glimpse of what they can expect when I return with MotoGP to Austin in 2027."

Links between F1 and MotoGP have been growing gradually closer since F1 owners Liberty Media bought the motorcycle series in 2024 for a deal which valued the sport at around €4.2bn, with Liberty reportedly paying €3.5bn for a share of around 86 per cent.

There have even been suggestions that one-off double header weekends could be arranged in the future, with Silverstone proposed as a potential venue for such an event.

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