MotoGP riders returned to the track less than 24 hours after completing the Czech Grand Prix weekend, taking part in a crucial private testing session at Brno on Monday as preparations intensified for the championship’s major technical overhaul in 2027.
Eight full-time riders joined the closed-door test, which marked the first large-scale evaluation of Pirelli tires by regular MotoGP competitors ahead of the Italian manufacturer’s arrival as the series’ sole tire supplier. Michelin, which has supplied MotoGP since 2016, will remain in place through the end of the current regulatory cycle before Pirelli assumes the role under the new rules.
The test is considered a key milestone in MotoGP’s transition to the 2027 regulations, which will introduce new 850cc engines and revised technical specifications aimed at reducing performance while maintaining competitive racing.
Aprilia was represented by Marco Bezzecchi and Raul Fernandez, while Ducati fielded Marc Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer. Honda brought Joan Mir and Luca Marini, KTM relied on Pedro Acosta, and Yamaha entered Toprak Razgatlioglu, whose extensive experience with Pirelli tires in the World Superbike Championship provided valuable comparative feedback.
Several factory test riders also participated after playing a significant role in the early development of both the next-generation motorcycles and the prototype tire compounds designed for the 2027 era.
Testing ran from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, with a one-hour lunch break. The session was conducted behind closed doors, with no media access and no official lap times released. Teams instead relied on internal data collection and performance analysis throughout the day.
The primary objective was not outright speed but gathering as much information as possible regarding tire behavior, durability, consistency and performance characteristics when paired with the upcoming 850cc machinery.
Pirelli Motorcycle Racing Director Giorgio Barbier described the program as demanding, particularly given that riders had only just completed a physically taxing race weekend in hot conditions and face another Grand Prix event in the near future.
“The testing program was very demanding, with many solutions to evaluate after a race weekend run in high temperatures and only a few days before the next Grand Prix,” Barbier said.
According to Barbier, the Brno session represented an important breakthrough because it allowed Pirelli to gather feedback directly from contracted MotoGP riders rather than relying solely on factory test riders.
“After private sessions conducted so far only with test riders, in Brno we were finally able to obtain useful feedback regarding the 2027 tires for the 850cc bikes from several contracted riders,” he said.
Barbier added that all manufacturers completed their scheduled programs successfully. Each factory used different testing plans for its two motorcycles in order to maximize data collection, while some riders also carried out Sprint race simulations and full-race simulations to evaluate tire performance over longer distances.
Pirelli brought approximately 400 tires to Brno, including multiple front and rear compound options. Engineers will now analyze the data collected during the session before incorporating the findings into future development work.
The information gathered in Brno will be combined with additional testing planned after the Austrian Grand Prix in September and further evaluations during the Valencia postseason test. Those sessions are expected to play a decisive role in determining the final tire specifications that will be introduced alongside MotoGP’s new technical regulations in 2027.
As MotoGP moves toward one of the biggest regulatory changes in its modern history, the Brno test provided teams, riders and Pirelli with an early opportunity to assess how the next generation of motorcycles and tires may perform when they eventually arrive on the world championship grid.
