Are MotoGP 850s as fast as 1000s? Dall’Igna has no doubts: “A step we have to take”

The 2027 MotoGP bikes were expected to be slower, but lap times leaked from private tests are already close to those of the current 1000cc machines. At Mandalika, Gigi Dall'Igna and Massimo Rivola addressed the concerns: they say the aim of the new regulations is not lap times, but top speed.

Official times for the new 850cc bikes on Pirelli tyres will not be available until the post-season test in Valencia, scheduled for December 1. However, the reports gathered so far point to prototypes that are anything but slow, at least on some circuits.

At the Red Bull Ring test, the fastest time was set by LCR Honda rookie Diogo Moreira, in 1:28.4. In qualifying during race weekend, the Brazilian had clocked 1:29.1 on the Honda 1000. Pedro Acosta, meanwhile, had secured a front-row start for the Grand Prix on the KTM 1000 with a 1:27.9, while at the test he lapped in 1:28.9 on the 850.

The 2027 package includes a reduction in engine capacity from 1000cc to 850cc, the removal of ride-height devices, further restrictions on aerodynamics and a switch from Michelin to Pirelli. The amount of available fuel will also be reduced, but the minimum weight will drop by four kilos, to the benefit of cornering speed.

For Ducati Corse's general manager, the issue is different, as reported by Crash.net: "The main reason we want to reduce performance is not lap time; it's top speed, the speed at which riders reach the first corner. That's why we want to reduce the engine's power and capacity."

The engineer from Veneto sees no contradiction: "I think that even if lap times are fairly close to those of '26, we can gain something in terms of safety. So, honestly, I think this is a step we need to take".

Aprilia Racing's CEO starts with the record set in May, when Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi both reached 368.6 km/h at Mugello, setting a new all-time MotoGP speed record. "That's a lot. So taking away around 50 horsepower will certainly reduce that speed," Rivola explained.

The Noale team boss admits that one-lap pace remains fast: "From what we're seeing, lap times still look pretty quick. At the same time, the riders say the bike is easier to ride, so perhaps they can manage it a little better. But it's better to look ahead than back, since the decision has been made."

According to Rivola, the real unknown is race distance: "We don't know whether the pace will be the same over race distance. Over a single lap, for now, the bikes seem pretty quick, perhaps very quick at some tracks, with only a small gap to the 1000s. But the tyre is definitely the deciding factor, and it remains a bit of an unknown".

The definitive answer will come in Valencia, when the five manufacturers (Ducati, Aprilia, KTM, Honda and Yamaha) unveil their cards with the first official times of the new era.

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