Pirelli set for first MotoGP tyre test ahead of 2027 takeover

Pirelli will conduct its first MotoGP tyre test at Misano on Tuesday, 16 September, as preparations continue ahead of its entry into the championship in 2027.

One of the key changes to MotoGP’s technical rule book for 2027 is the appointment of a new official tyre supplier. French manufacturer Michelin, which has been MotoGP’s exclusive tyre supplier since 2016, will hand over to Pirelli, which already produces tyres for Moto2, Moto3 and World Superbike Championship, in addition to Formula 1.

The Milan-based brand will thus be responsible for all three categories of the world championship, a production challenge that has prompted a careful step-by-step approach in developing tyres to meet MotoGP standards.

Since the announcement in early March, Pirelli has been working on developing a range of base tyres to begin development. Initially, a first test was planned at Aragon in early June, but the first on track running will instead take place at Misano, which is also staging the San Marino Grand Prix this weekend and MotoGP’s official test on Monday.

Five test riders will be taking part in Pirelli’s first tyre test on Tuesday, each representing a different manufacturer. Those selected are Michele Pirro (Ducati), Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia), Daniel Pedrosa (KTM), Takaaki Nakagami (Honda), and Augusto Fernandez, who is competing this weekend as a Yamaha wildcard with the new V4-powered M1.

Pirelli’s engineers will provide riders with five to six different compounds to assess the tyres’ durability, distance capability and their extreme performance.

Pirelli tyres

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images

The bikes used will be current MotoGP prototypes, albeit with some modifications. They will not feature the height adjustment devices and their power will be reduced electronically to simulate the rule changes for 2027, which will see a switch from 1000cc to 850cc engines, reduced aerodynamics and the disappearance of the ride-height adjustment devices.

The test is crucial for Pirelli to gather as much information as possible, even though the Misano track, after four days of maximum activity, will have high-grip conditions that can mask performance. 

For this reason, after the Valencia Grand Prix finale, and the subsequent test on Tuesday, another day of Pirelli testing will be held on Wednesday, 19 November to test the next level of evolution of the 2027 compounds.