MotoGP COO explains the motorcycle racing grand prix sport

Everybody wants to go fast.

This is a common denominator that basically all human beings share. At some point, whether on a roller coaster or off of your own shoes, you tried to push the speed limit and likely found yourself some full-on thrill in the process.

One of the avenues that offers this 22 weeks out of the year in a literal sense, all throughout the year in a larger one, is MotoGP. It is one of the best sports happening all across the world at the moment and on Sunday, March 30, they are racing in the Lone Star State.

MotoGP is motorcycle racing and the highest version of it that the world has to offer. There are 22 Grand Prix events in a season and each one is over in about 45 minutes. That is nifty. There are points awarded based on finishing order and at the end there is a champion who stands above the rest.

Ahead of the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas 2025 I was fortunate enough to speak with MotoGP COO Dan Rossomondo to learn more about the sport, how it is trying to grow and what it has to offer.

You may not know much about MotoGP yourself, but Dan understands that. His job is to make sure that we all understand the quality of racing that is happening and how unique and interesting it is. In his own words MotoGP is a historic racing property that is undergoing a rejuvenation and it is taking off once more.

Many motorsports purists argue that MotoGP is in fact the best racing in the world. The sport of it is enthralling, but the personalities off-track are also highly entertaining and come from across the globe. This weekend specifically they were fully ready for the American, and especially Texas flavor. Red Bull’s Pedro Acosta hung out with University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning, which was pretty cool to see, even for this ASU Sun Devil.

Leaning into the countries they race in, there are 18 total, and that’s part of how MotoGP is capitalizing on its ever-growing market. Taking their product literally all over the world is a heroic endeavor in and of itself and it makes sense for them to steer into the cultures and norms of wherever they are at any point in time.

Australia’s Jack Miller went for a cowboy hat (as SB Nation’s resident Dallas Cowboys person I obviously approve) while Alex Rins kept the longhorn spirit alive with a Texas baseball jersey. These may seem like small things, but in moments when the riders are on the paddock, they are seen by the entire world. Highlighting their surroundings is part of the lure of MotoGP. It can be anywhere and everywhere and be whatever that calls for… all while partaking in the most insane motorcycle racing that the planet has to offer.

Racing in the United States is a specifically notable thing for MotoGP. Consider that there are more American world champions than there are Spanish. In some senses, this is America’s territory to dominate. Putting it on stage at a place like Circuit of the Americas in Austin is displaying that to the hardcore fans who knew it already, but also to the newbies who are just learning about MotoGP.

Data supports that American fans are more of the former if we are staying on track, though (no pun intended). The US is responsible for the second-most YouTube videos watched about MotoGP in the world, and the second-most time spent on YouTube with it in general. Americans love motorsport and specifically love MotoGP.

But there are obviously motorcycle purists in every part of the world and soon enough they will get their chance to see it live and in person as well. The season has only just begun.

Dan noted that there are 22 race weeks in a given year, but that MotoGP is a 52-week venture and journey. Marc Marquez of the Ducati Lenovo Team is currently leading the standings, but that is all subject to change. Everything is, really.

That is part of what makes MotoGP so highly entertaining. There are the tech purists who want to know and understand every detail of the bikes themselves, but then there are people who lean more towards the entertainment side of the paddock and want to know about the drivers, their personal lives and whatever is happening amongst or between them at any given moment in time. The races matter and are what they ultimately do, but the work and experience happens well beyond just the 45 minutes that they are on track.

Keeping a sport on track (I promise I am not trying to make this pun over and over) in a smaller amount of time can be difficult. We all love different sports and games, and sometimes they can take a large part of our day. MotoGP has you out of the door in under an hour as noted.

As consumers, our time is precious — so much so that I asked Dan to make his 30-second pitch to anyone who may consider getting on the proverbial bike themselves.

Your time is valuable. You have a lot of other things you want do with your life.

I’ve got a world championship that goes in 45 minutes on a Sunday. Come watch it.

You’ll see things that you can’t even think about… aspiring to be like… you’ll see humans doing something that is not normal and also you’ll just see these guys competing as hard as you can then being lovely human beings right after.

We’re 45 minutes… full throttle, unbelievable sport.

MotoGP also has sprint races that take place the day before the race itself. As you can tell there is so much happening at every waking moment in this world.

That is the magic of MotoGP. It is impossible to predict or nail down. The bikes are too fast, the drivers are too talented and the sport is constantly making sure we are aware of it all along with everything in between.

Hit the throttle yourself. You can thank me later.