Updated August 2026.
The MotoGP VIP Pass and the MotoGP Paddock Pass are two profoundly different tools that are often confused with one another: the VIP Pass is the hospitality ticket you receive when you purchase the MotoGP VIP Village package, designed for the public; the Paddock Pass is a work credential — not for sale — that grants access to the operational area of the paddock to those who work there professionally. It is one of the most frequent questions about hospitality in MotoGP and paddock access, so let’s clear up the confusion and explain in detail what each one includes, allowing even those outside the industry to understand the vast difference between two credentials that resemble each other only in appearance.
What is the MotoGP VIP Pass
The MotoGP VIP Pass is issued upon purchase of the MotoGP VIP Village package, which we have already covered extensively on these pages. Practically speaking, the VIP Pass is nothing more than that plastic rectangle on a lanyard that grants access to the VIP Village facilities. Depending on the day for which it is issued, the VIP Pass features gold trim and details for Sunday (not by chance, until the 2019 season it was called the Gold Pass) or silver ones for Saturday (Silver Pass). The VIP Pass is checked electronically on entry and exit at every VIP Village gate, and it is also scanned at the entrance to the pit lane during the scheduled tours of pit row, namely the Pit Lane Walks. In the vast majority of cases, the VIP Pass comes with a fabric wristband bearing the VIP Village insignia, which allows guests to enjoy the open-air bars and refreshment facilities throughout the day.
It must be clearly stated, however, that the VIP Pass in itself does not grant access to the garages, the media centre or the other operational areas of the circuit: its use is limited to the VIP Village areas and to the pit lane during the Pit Lane Walk. The paddock is a separate chapter, and it deserves an up-to-date clarification: in the 2026 VIP Village formats, paddock access is included at selected non-European rounds — such as the Japanese Grand Prix, from Friday to Sunday — while at the other Grands Prix a guided Paddock Tour is offered instead: roughly forty minutes in the “backstage” of the World Championship, accompanied by MotoGP staff, who hand out paddock passes reserved for this very purpose at the start of the tour — and collect them at the end.
The difference between the VIP Pass and the Paddock Pass
We will not dwell too long on the Paddock Pass, which we covered in detail in this article: everything about the MotoGP Paddock Pass. Suffice it to say here that the Paddock Pass is a plastic rectangle with a lanyard and a magnetic stripe that allows entry to and exit from the paddock, that is, the area behind the MotoGP class garages reserved for technicians, riders and industry professionals. The Paddock Pass differs from circuit to circuit and its use is electronically restricted through Dorna’s access management system: essentially, it can be used from Thursday to Sunday, from 7 in the morning until around midnight.
This is the right place to specify that the VIP Pass and the Paddock Pass are tools with profoundly different purposes: the former serves a recreational and hospitality function, while the latter is a working tool given to sponsors, agencies, industry professionals and technicians. Where the VIP Pass lets you spend a motorsport weekend in the most comfortable way possible — enjoying superb catering, refined surroundings and outstanding service — the Paddock Pass exists, in its original conception, to carry out a job inside the paddock for business reasons. Just as it is true that the VIP Pass does not grant access to the paddock (except in the 2026 formats at the selected non-European rounds mentioned above), it is equally worth remembering that the Paddock Pass grants access neither to the VIP Village nor to any other area of the circuit other than — precisely — the paddock.
MotoGP VIP Pass and Paddock Pass compared
| VIP Pass (VIP Village) | MotoGP Paddock Pass | |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Hospitality ticket | Work credential |
| How to get it | Purchased with the MotoGP VIP Village package | Assigned free of charge by Dorna and IRTA through teams, sponsors and media |
| Price | List price of the hospitality package | No official price: it is not for sale |
| What it includes | VIP Village, reserved grandstands, Pit Lane Walk, catering | Access to the operational area of the paddock |
| View of the race | Yes, from reserved grandstands and terraces | No, except with the “V” sticker (Viewing Area) |
Three real passes, three different purposes
In the photo above we show three examples of MotoGP passes, useful for understanding the substantial differences between the uses and purposes of each credential.
The first is a VIP Village access pass (in its Staff version, for reasons that will be obvious given who is writing this article). As you can see, not only is the year printed on it, but the two hole punches — cancelling first Saturday and then Sunday — mean this pass is, to all intents and purposes, spent and obsolete. In short, it is now a collector’s item, but for the two days of the Grand Prix in question it allowed entry to and exit from the MotoGP VIP Village.
The second, the green one, is a Paddock Pass (specifically, the one issued for the 2012 San Marino Grand Prix). As you can see, the date, the circuit and the words “paddock access” are clearly printed on it, since this pass could not be used at any other track or on any other date. In this case, visible at the top right, there is also the VA sticker (Viewing Area), which grants access to the small reserved grandstand at the end of pit row. It is worth remembering that only a small percentage of paddock passes carry the VA sticker, precisely because this type of credential is meant for business meetings and appointments inside the team facilities within the paddock.
The last pass on the right is a Premium pass, that is, a permanent one. It can be used for the entire current season (in this case, 2018) at every race. This type of pass, reserved for a small number of industry operators and issued directly by Dorna at the start of the championship, grants access to all the “working” areas of the circuit and — unlike the other two — clearly displays on the back the photo, full name and company of the holder.
If you or your company would like to purchase VIP Village Passes or a hospitality area inside the VIP Village, you can contact us at info@rtrsports.com: we will be glad to advise you on how to put together the package of services best suited to your needs.
Frequently asked questions about the MotoGP VIP Pass and Paddock Pass
The VIP Pass is a hospitality ticket: you get it by purchasing the MotoGP VIP Village package, and it grants access to the hospitality facilities, reserved grandstands and the Pit Lane Walk. The Paddock Pass is a work credential, not for sale, that grants access to the operational area of the paddock. Neither includes the functions of the other.
Normally no: the VIP Pass is valid for the VIP Village facilities and the Pit Lane Walk. In the 2026 packages, however, paddock access is included at selected non-European rounds (such as the Japanese Grand Prix, from Friday to Sunday); at the other Grands Prix a guided Paddock Tour of about 40 minutes is offered instead.
By purchasing an official MotoGP VIP Village hospitality package, either directly or through agencies like RTR Sports. The pass is delivered with the package and checked electronically at the VIP Village entrances.
No: it has no official price and is not for sale. It is a work credential that Dorna and IRTA assign free of charge to teams, sponsors, media and industry operators. Anyone offering it online or outside the circuits is not an authorised channel.
Gourmet catering, open bar, reserved grandstands and terraces overlooking the track, the Pit Lane Walk and entertainment such as rider meet & greets; depending on the Grand Prix, it also includes paddock access or a guided Paddock Tour.
