By Emanuele Venturoli| Posted November 20, 2025 | In MotoGP, MotoGP
Diogo Moreira ‘s arrival in MotoGP, in the aftermath of the historic Moto2 2025 title, is more than just a category jump: it is a turning point for MotoGP, for Liberty-branded MotoGP, and for the motorcycle industry in Brazil and throughout South America. And why not, for all the sponsorship in MotoGP..
The 21-year-old from Guarulhos triumphed in Valencia after a comeback of more than 60 points over González, and he is the first Brazilian world champion in MotoGP ever. It had not been since the days of Alex Barros that Brazil had a stable point of reference in MotoGP. It is therefore a return in style that Moreira use the number 11 on the track. His debut in 2026, on Lucio Cecchinello’s Honda LCR (who knows a thing or two about major debuts, having rode Casey Stoner back in 2006) , coincides with the return of the Brazilian GP in Goiânia to the Ayrton Senna circuit, a strategic and symbolic signal that goes beyond the simple sporting dimension.
The time coincidence is perfect from a marketing point of view:
Data in hand: Latin America, with a population of more than 660 million, is the region where average TV rights revenue per viewer is still lower than in Europe and Asia, but has wider margins for growth. Brazil alone (population 214 million, 90 million active sports fans) opens up record-breaking scenarios for TV, streaming and sponsors. Today, platforms such as Star+ have already experienced a substantial jump in MotoGP viewership partly as a result of “Moreira-mania.”
MotoGP experienced a double-digit increase in social interaction between 2024 and 2025, and Brazil is no exception, a clear symptom that that “spark generation” to which Liberty entrusts the commercial and emotional renewal of the championship is approaching the sport en masse.
In terms of industrial economics, the timing is also favorable. Brazil is the world’s sixth-largest motorcycle marketand is booming: sales exceeded 1.8 million units in the first ten months, growing about 15 percent year-on-year, against a backdrop of real GDP growth of 2.16 percent in 2025. The motorcycle is the vehicle of the new urban middle class and service economy: the explosion of deliveries via apps (iFood, Rappi, etc.) has become a metaphor for the resilience of the Brazilian economy, as the local business press notes.
The two-wheeler industry employs 270,000 people, including production, distribution and allied industries. The big manufacturers, Japanese and European in the first place, rely heavily on local arrangements: Honda has been producing locally since 1976 and now holds almost 70 percent of the shares, Yamaha and BMW compete in the premium segment while Chinese players enter with increasingly competitive electric models.
In this scenario, having a world champion entering MotoGP just as the country is rediscovering its home GP is pure gold: it means being able to tie the positioning of the big manufacturers (Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, KTM, etc.) not only to the sale of scooters and commuters, but to an aspirational imagery of the highest level. Hopefully, this ferment will also be reflected in sponsorships in the LATAM area thanks to the Moreira effect, opening the way for possible joint ventures between European brands and the Brazilian market.
Beyond the successes on the track, there is an episode that captures the rider’s exceptionality: in 2022 while participating in the world championship in the Moto3 class, Moreira debuted in the S1GP Supermotard World Championship in Catalonia and won immediately, ahead of the category specialists.
The paddock remains speechless: pole, race-1 win, fast race, second in race-2, circuit record. This demonstrates an uncommon versatility, refined between motocross, enduro and asphalt, which today allows Diogo to be a technical reference point for sponsors and manufacturers looking for “global ambassadors” and not just category specialists.
Moreira’s debut boosts MotoGP’s media storytelling: Liberty and Dorna are betting on a younger, more interactive communication, in which athletes are “brand influencers,” GPs become urban festivals, and the narrative shifts from pure sport to a cultural and social transversality. Not coincidentally, MotoGP 2026 in Brazil could, but is not yet confirmed, be embedded in a week of events on “new mobility,” with sponsors of sharing, e-mobility, and augmented reality. Social coverage, including TikTok, Twitch and media partnerships, will increase the brand equity of riders and teams in all categories.
For Liberty Media, for Dorna, for the motorcycle manufacturers and for the entire supply chain, the “Moreira phenomenon” is thus a commercial, cultural and strategic lever. An opportunity to consolidate MotoGP as a global platform in a new era of sports marketing and mass socialization.
With the recent acquisition of Dorna by Liberty Media, the same company that turned F1 into a global phenomenon, Moreira’s entry and the revival of MotoGP in Latin America can tremendously support a precise strategy:expanding key markets and engaging new generations. Liberty is immediately aiming to replicate the media-social boom seen in Formula 1, focusing on local heroes like Moreira to activate regional “fan bases” and strengthen its digital presence.
Experience the power and put your brand in front of millions with motorsport sponsorship. Whether it's Formula 1, MotoGP, NASCAR, IndyCar, or WEC, RTR Sports give your brand the opportunity to appear on television at the most prestigious race tracks in the world.
Sponsor a motorsport team today
A graduate in Public, Social and Political Communication from the University of Bologna, he has always been passionate about marketing, design and sport.
The online platform where you can discover the latest trends, strategies and insights from the exciting world of sports marketing.
View our blog
November 6, 2025
Sponsoring a MotoGP rider in 2026 can be a strategic move for brands that want authenticity, excitement and immediate return. With RTR Sports’ MotoGP sponsorship, we analyze all the rid[...]
Read More
July 25, 2025
The 2026 MotoGP calendar is preparing to make history: for the first time in more than two decades, the Circus will return to race in Goiânia, Brazil, with a possible South American exp[...]
Read More
June 26, 2025
The European Commission has provided Liberty Media Corporation with unconditional approval to complete the acquisition of the MotoGP World Championship. The process of annexing the top motorc[...]
Read MoreIn an era where it is possible to get anywhere with a click, there is a strong temptation to approach teams and properties directly for sponsorship projects.
By doing so, we are convinced that we are shortening the value chain, saving time and money. However, these DYI methods are anything but risk-free and what initially appears to be a competitive advantage soon turns into a problem that is difficult to resolve. That’s why there are agencies. And this is why you should rely on us for your sponsorships.
When first approaching a motorsport sponsorship project, it is difficult to know immediately which stakeholders are correct, what the decision flow is, and what the right timelines are for each process. Motorsport is a very specialized field of action, and fitting effectively into its paths can take a lot of time and therefore money. We, on the other hand, know referents and spheres of action and know who to talk to, when and how. So you are also more effective.
Motorsport is an immense passion, and for our heart colors we would be willing to do anything. But business is a different business, and it is important to make the best possible strategic decisions based on independent research, statistics and reliable data. A motorsport sponsorship agency like RTR has an objective, 360-degree picture of the scenario and can tell you what is really best for you: which racing series, which athlete, which team. This is because we possess a great deal of data and information on ratings, segmentation and attitudes. Because the numbers don’t lie. Never.
Activations are the real heart of motorsport sponsorship. Without them, there remains only a blank sticker on a motorcycle, car or uniform and no contact with the public, no emotional connection, no impact on the bottom line. Then how do you do it? It certainly won’t be the teams or the athletes who will help you leverage sponsorship and enjoy the many marketing rights you have paid for. To bring out the best in a motorsport marketing project, you need an agency that knows how to use sponsorship to engage the fanbase online, to reach out to Shopping Centers, to organize hospitality, to develop B2B and B2C opportunities, and to get “your” athletes in front of millions of potential consumers.
Would you ever go to the dealer who sold you the car and ask if the competitor’s car is better? No, of course. So, how do you expect to get firm measurements of the effectiveness of your sponsorship if you do not rely on someone super partes? At RTR, we have always worked with independent third-party agencies that allow us to know the return on any exposure of your brand on TV and in the media. In addition, we believe in calculating ROI as the ultimate measure of your success-so we can tell you for every penny you spend how much you are making.
We have been involved in motorsport sponsorship and sports marketing for more than 15 years. We are consultants in the sense that our goal is to maximize your investment, but we are also an agency that manages the project from start to finish. We have been doing this since 1995 with passion and professionalism, following three principles that have become cornerstones of our business: independence, verticality and transparency.
I would like to highlight the fact that one of the qualities of RTR is its great ability to approach the sponsorship scenario strategically, together with its passionate attitude, its amazing enthusiasm for solving problems, and its high level of professionalism.
Gianluca Degliesposti
Executive Director Server&Storage EMEA
Eurosport is truly delighted with its business relationship with Riccardo Tafà, who has become extremely popular, thanks to his detailed knowledge of the sports marketing sector and his highly diligent attitude to work.
Francois Ribeiro
Commercial Director
Passion and Expertise are the features that I have found in RTR since the very beginning. Serious and reliable professionals but also very helpful, nice and open-mind people, willing to listen and compare different ideas. All the values in which RTR believes make this agency a partner, not just a supplier, a partner with whom we have had the opportunity to achieve significant commercial results in term of success and image.
Luca Pacitto
Head of Communication
We have been working with RTR Sports Marketing for over 10 years. The objectives and the programmes of collaboration continue to be renewed and to grow with mutual satisfaction. I believe RTR is a team of great professionals led by Riccardo Tafà, who I consider a manager of exceptional skills and with a great passion for his work.
Lucio Cecchinello
Team Principal
I have known and worked with Riccardo Tafà since 1995 when we collaborated for the first time on a project for the Williams Formula 1 team. Several clients followed. After leaving Williams to work for Gerhard Berger then owner of the Toro Rosso F1 Team, I turned again to Riccardo to seek his help in finding a tool supplier for the team and Riccardo duly obliged with an introduction to USAG, a partnership with Toro Rosso which endured for five years. I recently started a new role as Group Commercial Director for the renowned Andretti Autosport organisation and I find myself working with Riccardo once again on a number of interesting projects. Why has this relationship with Riccardo endured ? He’s smart, knows the commercial side of sport inside out and back to front and he’s honest and trustworthy. Riccardo Tafà is a “doer” not a “talker”: in over 20 years I have never had a dispute either with him or with a company that he has introduced and each partnership introduced by Riccardo has delivered quantifiable ROI to rights holder and sponsor alike. I can think of no better testimonial of Riccardo’s diligence, knowledge, contact base and hard work than that.
Jim Wright
Group Commercial Director
The online platform where you can discover the latest trends, strategies and insights from the exciting world of sports marketing.
View our blog
November 6, 2025
Sponsoring a MotoGP rider in 2026 can be a strategic move for brands that want authenticity, excitement and immediate return. With RTR Sports’ MotoGP sponsorship, we analyze all the rid[...]
Read More
October 20, 2025
Apple TV+ is set to become the exclusive broadcaster of Formula 1 in the United States starting in 2026, under a five-year contract worth an estimated $750 million. This agreement represents [...]
Read More
October 8, 2025
The equation that is changing motorsport marketing Imagine you are sitting in your company’s boardroom. On the table, the sports sponsorship budget for 2026. The question you are asking[...]
Read More
