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Pirelli explains why its MotoGP tyre development has shifted away from group tests and towards private 850cc outings.
Pirelli has shifted its 850cc MotoGP tyre development focus from group tests to supporting manufacturers’ private testing activities due to positive outcomes from the Misano test on 1000cc machines. The initial test was considered successful, leading Pirelli to await track-ready 2027-spec 850cc prototypes from manufacturers. With different factories working on varying timelines, organizing a collective test was deemed impractical by Pirelli Motorcycle Racing director Giorgio Barbier. The first manufacturer to put an 850cc bike on track was KTM at Jerez, followed by Honda at Sepang, with Ducati, Aprilia, and Yamaha still to follow. Pirelli’s plans include supplying reference tyres for manufacturer test teams moving forward, as they prepare for the 2027 season. The initial test results were better than expected and deemed quite good and interesting by Barbier, leading to the cancellation of a Valencia follow-up test.
