Column: Has MotoGP Outgrown COTA? It May Be Time to Rethink America’s Grand Prix.

For more than a decade, Circuit of the Americas has been MotoGP’s home in the United States.

It has produced memorable races, packed grandstands and some of the most iconic victories of Marc Marquez’s career.

But here’s a question worth asking.

Is COTA still the best place to grow MotoGP in America?

From a racing standpoint, absolutely.

From a business standpoint?

I’m not so sure anymore.

Austin has become one of the most international sporting destinations in the United States. Formula 1, MotoGP and the World Endurance Championship all fit naturally there because the city already attracts a global audience. Walk through the paddock during race weekend and you’ll hear languages from all over the world.

That’s wonderful for tourism.

It’s less ideal if your goal is creating new American motorcycle racing fans.

MotoGP doesn’t have an American rider fighting for championships right now. That means its U.S. growth has to come from converting racing fans, not simply welcoming international visitors already planning to attend.

That’s where another venue might offer something different.

Take Barber Motorsports Park.

Ask anyone in the motorcycle industry about Barber, and they’ll tell you it’s one of the finest road courses in North America. The museum alone is worth the trip, housing one of the world’s greatest collections of historic motorcycles. The Birmingham area has embraced motorcycle culture for decades through MotoAmerica, vintage racing and grassroots events.

Barber feels like a place built for motorcycles.

Then there’s Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

If you’ve ever attended Petit Le Mans or a MotoAmerica weekend, you know the atmosphere. The Southeast lives and breathes motorsports. Fans camp all weekend. They understand road racing. More importantly, they’re willing to drive for it.

As someone who has spent countless weekends covering races throughout Georgia and the Carolinas, I’ve seen firsthand how passionate that fan base can be. Those aren’t tourists looking for something to do.

They’re racers.

They’re riders.

They’re lifers.

Would either facility need upgrades to meet MotoGP’s modern safety standards?

Absolutely.

That’s the biggest obstacle.

MotoGP has some of the strictest circuit requirements in motorsports, particularly regarding runoff areas, barriers and medical infrastructure. Barber and Road Atlanta would almost certainly require significant investment before either could host a premier-class Grand Prix.

That doesn’t make the idea impossible.

It simply makes it expensive.

The other argument for staying at COTA is a strong one.

The facility already meets every technical requirement. It’s hosted MotoGP successfully for years. Teams know the circuit. Fans know where to go. Television viewers recognize it instantly.

There’s tremendous value in consistency.

If MotoGP is going to have only one American race, COTA remains the safest choice.

But if the championship ever decides to expand back to two U.S. rounds, I’d seriously consider taking a chance somewhere different.

Not because COTA has failed.

Because America has more than one motorsports culture.

Texas gives MotoGP an international destination.

The Southeast could give it an American identity.

Maybe that’s the next step.

MotoGP doesn’t necessarily need to leave Austin.

It just might need to remember there’s an entire country of motorcycle fans beyond it.