Ground-breaking pit-to-rider radio will transform MotoGP from 2027

Amidst all the work and pressure in the paddock at the Aragon Grand Prix, another company made an unusual request of the riders. Under the watchful eye of Sergi Sendra, Senior Director of Media Production Technology at the MotoGP Group, a company specialising in audio technology took individual ear impressions from at least 13 riders. These are intended for the new radio systems that will be introduced from next season onwards.

Sendra – a passionate TV and media technician, former live TV director and visionary in the field of on-board camera technology – and his team have been driving this technology forward for more than six years. With all the setbacks, frustrations and progress that innovation brings.

“In 2020, Carlos Ezpeleta – who was still working in the sports department at the time and is now deputy CEO – first asked us to carry out a test in which riders could hear messages whilst riding,” Sergi told us in an exclusive interview. “I remember that we were initially concerned about radio frequencies and coverage. We also needed something small enough to fit into the pocket of the leather suit whilst still being able to transmit messages.”

“Our aim, and it remains our top priority, was to be able to relay messages to the riders for safety reasons,” he explains. “When you send a red flag notification, it must reach all riders simultaneously and without delay. To achieve this, you need digital audio transmission over IP, not analogue.”

A massive challenge for everyone involved

Even experts in this field could scarcely believe how difficult it was to implement. Reaching 22 riders simultaneously and without delay, regardless of their position on the track, with high-quality sound presented the team with entirely new challenges.

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“You can’t simply buy something like this as off-the-shelf equipment. You have to invent it.” The scale of the project was enormous. It required the collaboration of numerous stakeholders: riders, teams, race organisers, the FIM, helmet and leathers manufacturers, as well as the race circuits to provide the necessary infrastructure. Added to this were carefully selected technology partners who carried out their own development work, produced hardware and software, and at the same time had to take into account the various national regulations governing radio frequencies.

The first crucial factor was the riders. All MotoGP riders use earplugs to protect themselves from the noise of the unmuffled motorbikes, whose noise levels are close to the FIM limit of 130 decibels.

“They’re absurdly loud,” explained Red Bull KTM rider Brad Binder in Aragon. “When all the motorbikes are revving at the redline on the starting grid, it’s intense. That’s why you’re grateful for the extra help from the earplugs.”

Riders’ individual preferences must be taken into account

The MotoGP Group’s development journey took them from in-ear solutions, loudspeakers, bone conduction and hard earpieces reminiscent of Formula 1, ultimately leading to a soft compound that gave the radio project the decisive boost.

“The project is huge because we have 22 riders – meaning 22 opinions and preferences,” explains Sendra. “And their opinion is the most important, because they’re the ones wearing the equipment and have to react to it. We have eleven teams that need to upgrade their technology because what they’re using today is old and outdated. Everything has to be networked yet separable at the same time. If we only want to speak to Ducati, we need a Ducati channel. If we want to speak to everyone, we must be able to do that too.”

“The first level was the rider and an independent communication system. Then came the challenge: how do we fit microphones and earplugs without compromising the helmet’s homologation? That was a huge hurdle, because the FIM has its new safety standards and is itself striving to ensure the best possible protection in the world. That’s perfectly normal and we have to respect it.”

The tests with the Grand Prix riders were also anything but straightforward. “If you want to test something, you have to do it at a Grand Prix, when all the technology and infrastructure are in place,” explains Sendra. “We had only limited opportunities. That’s why we also had to carry out a lot of private tests – with Dani Pedrosa and Michele Pirro, with Pirro being a great help to us, as well as with the Espargaró brothers and Lorenzo Savadori.”

“You need the conditions of a Grand Prix: all the people, the antennas, the phones. A real-world scenario that is often unique, time-limited and restricted. That slowed development down considerably.”

KTM test rider Pol Espargaro knows the difficulties from his own experience. “It’s not always easy to develop something together with riders who are completely focused on racing and who all say: ‘I don’t want anything new, I don’t want to try anything out.’ I helped him and kept telling Sergi: ‘Keep going.’”

Setbacks in development

After in-ear solutions had been ruled out because no common ground could be found amongst the riders, bone conduction technology also proved problematic.

“In the winter of 2022, I travelled to Japan to visit our partner, Audio-Technica,” reports Sendra. “We were looking for something other than in-ear systems and tried out bone conduction. We started testing it with the riders, but it was painful and caused pressure. So we realised we had to develop something that would fit inside the helmets.”

Speakers – a technology familiar to ordinary motorcyclists from Bluetooth systems – were also ruled out. “We had a small Japanese speaker that looked completely harmless. But fitting it into the cheek pads was a nightmare, because not a single cheek pad was identical across the ten helmet manufacturers in the line-up,” recalls Sendra.

“With some, you could fit the speaker straight in; other pads had a hole there. So how do you secure the speaker? For some riders it was painful; for others, it didn’t work properly. We developed five generations of speakers: different materials, smaller dimensions, higher power output. At the same time, we worked with Marelli on the small unit in the hump to improve the quality of the technology. That alone took us three years.”

How the breakthrough was achieved

The MotoGP Group finally achieved the breakthrough with a soft material that integrates the in-ear technology. The sound and fit had to be spot on. ‘It had to be comfortable. If that isn’t the case, there’s no point in carrying on,’ says Sendra. ‘The volume and quality had to be right. The riders need to be able to do their job. Generally speaking, if the sounds around you are poor or distracting, it causes stress. It has to become part of your environment. We knew we needed the best possible intercom system so that the riders could hear everything perfectly.”

Michele Pirro was one of the first riders for whom customised ear moulds were made in Barcelona. “We were almost in tears during a test when he came in and said, ‘It’s perfect.’ After that, we thought we’d done it. But we needed more feedback. We believed we had something that worked, yet we’re still developing it. It’s not finished yet.”

David Alonso, the 20-year-old CFMOTO-Aspar Moto2 star and future Honda MotoGP rider for 2027, explained at MotorLand: “It combines our standard earplugs with the bespoke in-ear mould. Ultimately, the cover will be larger and block out even more noise. That’s great for me because I don’t like hearing the motorbike.”

The solution for the riders was gaining increasing acceptance. However, Sendra and his team had to deal with other issues at the same time. Limiting the number of suppliers was intended to prevent outages and irregularities, such as those reportedly occurring in Formula 1 due to the use of different companies as radio providers. At the same time, MotoGP had to convince the teams to upgrade their technology.

“We’re also testing with them. For three years we’ve been explaining to them that they need to upgrade their systems and invest. But we’ve said that we’ll help them, make it as easy as possible and provide the best solution. At the same time, we’re dealing with the frequencies – which is another nightmare, because every country manages them differently.”

Added to this are the race circuits from Argentina to Australia. “You have to design the equipment and the antenna coverage so that every rider can transmit and receive consistently at every point on the track. That was another goal we’ve achieved. You can’t simply install another network on top of the on-board cameras, television and track-limits technology. That’s why we had to convince the race circuits to provide a simple fibre-optic connection. Some already had one, others didn’t. We needed this infrastructure. There were some brilliant people at the MotoGP Group who took care of it,” emphasises Sendra.

Much like the existing ‘shoulder cams’ and ‘back cams’, riders will in future become independent ‘broadcasters’ in their own right. In total, there are already more than 200 microphones at a MotoGP Grand Prix.

Clear differences from the F1 system

In Formula 1, the audio link to the driver is cut off as soon as he leaves the car. In MotoGP, it will be different. “The riders will be able to hear and speak wherever they are. That will be a massive change and also interesting from a strategy perspective. The trade-off for the rider is having to carry a maximum of 200 grams extra in their helmet and leather suit.”

Ultimately, the riders are to wear two microphones: one in the helmet and one in the leather suit. “Formula 1 drivers wear a balaclava that holds the microphone in place. This ensures it’s always close to the mouth. That’s impossible for us. The only rider I’ve seen wearing a balaclava ended up having to throw up afterwards,” explains Sendra.

The microphone in the leather suit is deactivated as soon as the helmet is put on. “There’s a certain distance between the two microphones, which poses a problem. And the wind inside the helmet is brutal,” says Sendra. “We experimented with Fabio Quartararo. The sound quality wasn’t great, but it was understandable. It’s an interesting challenge to keep working on this.”

An emotional moment at Motegi in 2025

A prominent test rider for the microphone in the leather suit was Marc Márquez – and at a crucial moment: when the Catalan won the World Championship title in Japan in 2025. “We installed our AudioCom network within three days,” recalls Sendra with a smile. “There was also a bit of karma in that development process. We’d been working and learning, and we were banking on this system. We explained to Marc that we should be able to hear him shouting and celebrating if he became world champion. But we couldn’t guarantee that it would work.”

They used a prototype from Marelli and a microphone from Audio-Technica that had never been used before. “We kept our fingers crossed – and suddenly this incredible test scenario presented itself.”

“I didn’t want to be in the TV room that day,” recalls the Catalan. “I wanted to stay with the sound engineer. When Marc crossed the finish line and became world champion, I said: ‘Turn the volume up!’ We heard Marc shout: ‘Ho he fet!’ [I’ve done it]. I had to cry. The bike’s revs dropped, Marc sat up straight on the bike and shouted. That made the sound perfect.”

With every technical innovation, however, the question arises not only of whether something is possible, but also whether it makes sense. Motorsport at the highest level demands focus, concentration, flow and adrenaline. Motorcycle racers have always operated within the sheltered world of their helmets. Interrupting this concentration with external audio signals is a cause for concern for some riders.

“It depends on what message comes through and when it comes,” explained Espargaro. “At the moment, it’s about safety messages, and these are transmitted at points such as a long straight. That’s fine. Perhaps the rider will get used to it. In the short term, this could provide us with some additional information that previously came via the pit board or the dashboard. In my trials so far on the straights, it hasn’t been too bad.”

Not all riders are in favour of the system

“Some riders are still sceptical,” admits Sendra. “Some said: ‘Don’t talk to me.’ There’s an unwritten rule that you don’t speak to them whilst they’re riding. But during tests, we sent them messages at random whilst they were on the track, and afterwards none of them said it had been dangerous.”

However, there are sections of the track where the riders don’t want to be disturbed. “Some said they’d rather not hear us at certain points,” explains Sendra. “At Misano, the back section is very tricky and fast. Fabio Quartararo said he’d rather not hear us at the ‘Curvone’. Alex Rins said the same about certain sections at Mugello.”

However, when it comes to a safety message such as ‘Red flag!’, particular care must be taken. “Then it’s in the hands of the teams, and we have to handle it intelligently because we can see where the riders are. The system in the back of the suit is connected to GPS. It’s not the first time we’ve used GPS in a leather suit, as the airbags are also activated via it. But this is the first time the riders can be tracked live.”

Two-way communication for better entertainment

The next stage of development involves enabling two-way communication. This also brings the entertainment value into focus. For some, the Formula 1 radio chatter in TV broadcasts and other content is still a gimmick that lacks authenticity. Others appreciate the added sense of being close to the action as a race unfolds – and some radio exchanges have already provided some juicy moments.

In Formula 1, radio communication has been part of everyday life for two decades. For MotoGP, it will open up a new dimension and change the way spectators understand and experience the sport. “I think this will be a great element for storytelling,” says Sendra. “Up until now, in MotoGP we’ve basically just had a ‘silent film’, where you only hear the engines of the motorbikes. That’s all.”

Francesco Bagnaia was more cautious in his response. “It’s a big change, and I’m not sure if we need it. But we have to give it a go. So let’s see.” Marc Márquez sees mainly benefits for the spectacle. “I think it’ll be better for the spectacle,” he conceded. “Whether it’ll be useful or not, I don’t know. But better for the spectacle? Of course. People want to see things like that.”

Alonso also appeared open to the idea. “I’m open-minded. I think it could be fun. And if I can talk to the team at certain points, it makes the ‘game’ even more interesting. I reckon the teams will quickly learn which parts of the track are safer for talking than others.”

However, the new system will also require new rules and habits. In future, riders must be aware, from the moment they fasten their leathers, that their comments may be recorded. Teams will need to formalise their communication and procedures. And the MotoGP Group must carefully select which words, sounds and emotions are made public.

What happens in the event of a crash?

Even decades after the start of TV broadcasts of Motorcycle Grand Prix races, the MotoGP Group still faces criticism over the way crashes are shown and replayed. The addition of sound introduces a further layer of complexity. This is a massive change that will involve an extremely steep learning curve for everyone involved.

“We’re already learning thanks to a team that’s letting us listen in confidentially,” reveals Sendra. “They don’t talk very much because they mainly use the radio to coordinate and organise things. The rider only speaks to them when he’s in the pits.”

In future, this could open up entirely new possibilities. “I hope it doesn’t happen because of a crash. But if a driver comes to a halt on the track, he can let the team know if he’s all right and, on the way back to the pit lane, already prepare the next steps for the session. Things like that will save a lot of time.”

This requires clear rules. “We need to establish a protocol,” says Sendra. “I remember Trackhouse team principal Davide Brivio saying to me: ‘But Sergi, we don’t talk that much over the radio.’ And I told him: ‘That’s because you haven’t had the system until now!’ It’ll be a learning process, because the teams will realise that this tool is at their disposal.”

Radio system to be introduced in motocross too

MotoGP is not alone in this development. The American AMA SuperMotocross series is also looking closely at radio communication. Supercross has advantages in this regard, both because it is held in stadiums and due to the existing infrastructure, as well as because of the lower engine noise levels. As far back as 15 years ago, radio systems were part of the relaxed regulations and concept of the now-defunct million-dollar invitational race, the Monster Energy Cup in Las Vegas, but were never actually used at the time.

Since then, the technology has evolved and opened up new possibilities. Like the Motocross World Championship, Supercross already uses drone footage for TV broadcasts, creating perspectives that are rarely seen in other motorsports. Radio communication is the next step. Here, too, the athletes need to be convinced and rules for communication established.

“We’ve been testing during the Supercross season and on a few occasions in motocross,” explained Dave Prater, Director of Supercross at Feld Entertainment, to the renowned journalist Lewis Phillips last week in the US.

“2027 will bring us a lot of new insights. I don’t know if we’ll be ready to introduce the system by then, but there will be further tests. We’re already further along than we’d expected. Initially, the officials would speak to all the riders. However, we’ve also already tested teams communicating with their riders, as well as with a few selected riders on press days.”

Six years of development is a long way to go. Yet motorbike racing and MotoGP via radio are a clear sign of things to come.