Le MotoGP will enter a new era in 2027 with the arrival of 850cc motorcycles equipped with Pirelli tires, and the Italian manufacturer is already preparing for this revolution by having carried out yesterday Tuesday its first official test of tire prototypes on the Marco Simoncelli circuit in Misano.
Under the radiant Adriatic sun and on a track fluctuating between 25°C and 43°C, the test riders of the five factories entered in MotoGP™ took to the track:
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Augusto Fernandez for Yamaha,
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Dani Pedrosa for KTM,
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Takaaki Nakagami for Honda,
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Lorenzo Savadori for Aprilia,
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Michele Pirro for Ducati.
Each team had seven sets of tires, with two versions at the front and three at the rear, all in 17 inches as required by the current regulations (4” rims at the front, 6,25” at the rear). The motorcycles used were more or less those used in the official test on Monday, but with the ride height devices deactivated and some aerodynamic adaptations in order to best simulate the future 850 cm³.
The MotoGP™ tires will be manufactured at Pirelli's factory in Breuberg, Germany, where all the racing radials and several road ranges are already produced. The goal is to directly transfer technologies from competition to road tires, while focusing on sustainability and production quality.
As explained George Barbier, Pirelli's motorcycle racing director: “The Misano test was the first step in our return to the World Championship, and we are very satisfied with the work carried out with the teams and riders. The initial feedback is encouraging, particularly on grip, speed of warm-up and confidence. Our philosophy is clear: tires exclusively dedicated to MotoGP™, but designed with proven and durable technologies so that this project also serves as an example of sustainability for motorsport.”
The contract signed with Dorna provides for a commitment of five years, until 2031, which includes not only MotoGP™, but also the extension of the agreement already in place for Moto2™ and Moto3™. Pirelli will also remain the exclusive supplier for all competitions in the Road to MotoGP™, such as the FIM JuniorGP™, the Asia Talent Cup, the Red Bull Rookies Cup and the MiniGP World Series.
Our photographer, who was present remotely, sent us these few photos showing the machines used for this first test. These were basically the bikes used during the official MotoGP test the day before, and we'll be deciphering all the new features one by one soon.
We won't be revealing any times from this Pirelli test, because that's not the point... BUT, we were able to gather the first reactions of a technician of one of the test drivers, who declared himself very satisfied with this first test, especially regarding the front tire. According to him, the driver's feeling is very good and the times are almost similar to those achieved with the Michelin tires.
He does not know the date of the next test.
With this first successful test at Misano, Pirelli is laying the first foundations for its future in MotoGP.
