The future of MotoGP: The question is not ‘if’, but ‘when’ China will be on the grid

It all happened very quickly. The request for an interview with GP team owner Jorge ‘Aspar’ Martinez was swiftly and politely approved by the press office with a thumbs-up. Amidst the hustle and bustle of Saturday at the German Grand Prix, the door to the team headquarters swung open. The scheduled 15 minutes turned into 25 – valuable time for a chat with Martinez, who is nothing less than a cornerstone of the vast paddock.

Martinez, who as a rider also lived through and helped shape the era when terms such as ‘globalisation’, ‘commercialisation’ or ‘social media’ were still a long way from reaching the scene – worked his way attentively through the list of questions on the future of the Moto3 World Championship and the vision for a new MotoGP project . A translator stepped in to help with the trickier passages. ‘Aspar’ attaches great importance to accuracy. This becomes very understandable once you grasp the Martinez racing empire as a whole.

Jorge «Aspar» Martinez im Gespräch mit SPEEDWEEK.com

Foto: Gerhard Schiel

The lavish trucks of the Moto2 and Moto3 teams and the hospitality arrangements at MotoGP events are just the tip of the iceberg. The company’s real powerhouse is based near Valencia and is constantly erupting with new initiatives to promote young talent in motorcycling.

From the pram to a fully-fledged GP hero

Jorge Martinez’s world begins at the very bottom. Parents can practically drop their children off in their prams in the paddock at the ‘Aspar Circuit’ and pick them up again as world champions with a MotoGP training certificate. The key point is that Martinez does not view his commitment as merely local support – the circuit’s academy is cosmopolitan and, given its most important partner, unsurprisingly fully focused on China’s future role in MotoGP. Martinez’s team is already training Chinese children across a wide range of age groups.

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And the day will come – of this both CFMOTO and Jorge Martinez are convinced – when the project, which is currently contractually agreed until 2031, will produce China’s own GP rider. It is clear to everyone involved that 2031 will not be enough to turn the paddock on its head. After all, money alone is not enough to compete successfully in the MotoGP that has emerged. A prime example is that the two Japanese manufacturers have been lagging behind – and not just since 2026 – despite formally having the best conditions.

At CFMOTO, they are taking the time that will be needed. In this context, the development of the new Moto3 formula from 2028 onwards is also more than just interesting. As is well known, the entry for the entry-level World Championship class was put out to tender amongst all manufacturers in 2025. CFMOTO also made its intentions known and submitted proposals for a 450cc racer with a twin-cylinder engine. This was partly because these broad guidelines had initially been agreed upon within the manufacturers’ association, the MSMA.

Strategic repercussions for the Moto3 project

The fact that Yamaha ultimately won the contract, with an almost ‘700cc Moto3 big bike’, must have been particularly painful for CFMOTO. The project would have been a welcome shortcut to realising the long-term vision of MotoGP. With the necessary lead time (2028) and the knowledge that they would be acquiring Kalex in early 2026, the Chinese could well have been trusted to develop their first GP-spec bike.

It was certainly not an easy decision for the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) and the MotoGP Group. They had to weigh up whether to build up a new manufacturer – or to back a major player that is already fully established. A missed opportunity from MotoGP’s perspective with a view to the future – but at the same time a safe bet when it comes to managing the important marketing component that is Moto3.

CFMOTO: Viel mehr als nur Werbepartner

Foto: Team Aspar

CFMOTO will, however, recover quickly from this strategic setback. As is well known, one learns far more from setbacks than from smooth sailing. Without wishing to stir up controversy regarding the crises raging globally: China, initially represented by CFMOTO as the most active project (with Kove, QJMotor, Zontes and Voge, other major Chinese companies are also gearing up), decided years ago to capitalise on the MotoGP business model as well.

This vision has been backed up by action. Anyone who thinks CFMOTO is simply handing out stickers in the paddock and promoting Spanish Moto3 riders is, to put it mildly, completely off the mark. CFMOTO is building up all its capabilities step by step, revolution by revolution. Product planning, research and development, sales and marketing – and the still-compact sports division – are all running at full speed.

The knowledge puzzle is coming together

Design and testing facilities are now in place in Europe. Added to this is the crucial connection provided by Jorge Martinez – not least because it is clear that MotoGP can only be conquered via a Spanish gateway. Team structure, network, rider development – all ticked off. On top of that is the long-term partnership with Kalex Engineering. As is widely assumed, no MotoGP chassis are being built in Bavaria as yet, but information is flowing – and as things stand today, this is more important than a hastily milled prototype bearing a CFMOTO nameplate.

The Moto3 hurdle serves as additional motivation. It will take time – a long time – but the MotoGP of the future will involve China; that is not a question, but a statement of fact. Jorge Martinez’s composed demeanour spoke volumes more than his actual words. The enormous investment in the company’s own infrastructure – for which it even shut down its own MotoGP team at the end of the last decade – appears to have been money well spent.