ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has sealed a five-year partnership with Dorna Sports to broadcast the MotoGP World Championship in 24 countries across Asia.

The multi-platform rights deal to broadcast qualifying practices and grands prix live, will run through to 2016, with ESS having carried the MotoGP World Championship for the past 16 years. The agreement additionally includes exclusive pay-TV rights across all its Southeast Asian territories and non-exclusive pay-TV rights for its South Asian markets. ESS already holds rights to Formula One, Indycar racing, Le Mans and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

“Over the years, we have been focused on growing our motor sports content, and this acquisition underlines our commitment to motorsport fans across the region,” said ESS managing director Manu Sawhney. “Our continued partnership with MotoGP represents the strong relationship with the rights holder, Dorna Sports, and with our ongoing efforts to build and strengthen the sport on our networks, we have witnessed a growth in traction for the Championship. Leveraging on the reach of our networks and multiple media platforms, we aim to keep building the MotoGP’s profile, while offering an excellent promotional platform for our business partners.”

Dorna Sports media managing director Manel Arroyo added: “ESPN Star Sports is a long-standing partner of MotoGP in the region and we are happy to be extending our agreement with them. It is encouraging to have a dedicated partner in ESS who shares our ambition to bring the best of motorcycle racing to viewers throughout the whole of Asia…ESS will also be focusing on producing features around riders, teams and different MotoGP projects from the region, to give their coverage more local flavour and with coverage across all the ESS platforms – TV, Internet, mobile – and fans will have even more ways to keep up to date with MotoGP.”