Matt Oxley, Ducati General Manager Luigi D’Alien If he is to join Aprilia for 2027, Francesco Bagna feels unlikely to allow him to test the 850cc prototype bike.
of MotoGP rider market It started earlier this year, with 19 of the 22 riders entering the final season of their contracts in 2026. MotoGP is introducing new regulations on 850cc engines for the 2027 season, giving teams more reason to prepare their lineups early.
Bagnaya He is expected to fall into both camps, according to the contract Ducati In the year It will end in 2026 and is now believed to be in preparation for signing Aprilia. It is reported that Bagnaia is set to sign a four-year contract with Aprilia. After losing his seat, Ducati is ready to sign the KTM ace Pedro Acosta.
If you were Francesco Bagnaia, would you choose an Aprilia bike or a Yamaha bike?
Ducati can’t let Francesco Bagnaia join Aprilia with their 850cc bike
While MotoGP teams have stopped confirming the 2027 rider line-up As the staff is not under contract with the series after 2026, Ducati are on the verge of signing Acosta to a two-year contract.. Ducati settles Acosta deal after re-signing Marc Marquez
Considering the possibility of Bagnaia being tied to Aprilia in 2027, Oxley He believes. Dale Igna The 29-year-old would be a “fool” if he allowed Ducati’s 850cc prototype bike to be tested at the 2026 season trials. But it goes both ways, as KTM Acosta doesn’t want him to try an 850cc bike.
Read more: 2027 MotoGP regulations explained, from 850cc engines to aero restrictions
“Let’s assume Ducati’s most successful MotoGP rider, Peco Bagnaia, is indeed moving to Aprilia to ride the RS-GP next year,” Oxley said. Motor sports magazine.
“If you were Ducati boss Gigi Dale Igna, would you let Bagnaia ride the 2027 Desmosedici at the Bruno and Red Bull Ring, so he could experience your latest brainwaves, then pass it on to his new employers? Only a fool would do such a thing, and Dale Igna is no fool.”
“And if you were Dale Igna, would you have given Bagnaia a release from his Ducati contract, so he could ride the Aprilia Prototype 850 RS-GP at Brno and the Red Bull Ring to lend a helping hand to his arch-rivals for 2027? He would have had to clear his mind to say yes.”
“Of course, manufacturers often (but not always) let departing riders leave their contracts early so they can check with their new employers immediately after the season-ending Valencia GP.
“Dalli Igna understands that this situation works both ways. If KTM boss Pete Beyer is going to Ducati in 2027, will Pedro Acosta let him test the KTM 850? Will Beyer release Acosta from his current contract, so he can test Dall’Igna’s 850? No.”
MotoGP will hold two season tests in 2026 for its teams to test the 2027 Pirelli tyres.
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MotoGP confirmed in January that Brno and the Red Bull Ring will hold the only official tests for their teams to race their 850cc bikes in the 2026 season. Pirelli Pirelli will replace Michelin as MotoGP tire supplier from 2027 to collect real-world tire data for 2027.
The two in-season tests come on Monday Czech Grand Prix June 22 and Monday after Bruno Austrian Grand Prix On September 21 at the Red Bull Ring. MotoGP’s traditional one-day post-production test in Valencia is also set for November 24.
MotoGP will hold a one-day test on April 27 and a one-day test in Barcelona on May 18. But the tests are not designed for the teams or Pirelli to prepare for the 2027 rules, which will result in a ban on ride height devices and further restrictions on aerodynamics.
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