From the Jerez tests: the last shots of 1000cc MotoGP and the first of the 850cc

Monday, April 27, if you will, was an epoch-making day for contemporary MotoGP. In Jerez de la Frontera, the first in-season Test scheduled on the 2026 calendar took place, effectively the last in which manufacturers are presenting concrete innovations for the current 1000cc bikes. Some are already looking to the future with the 850cc machines, but with the same hallmark: today and tomorrow, MotoGP will be ruled by aerodynamics.

The technical regulations to be introduced in 2027 will not in fact eliminate aerodynamic profiles; rather, they provide for restrictions which, if not circumvented, can at least be offset elsewhere. If the wings on the front fairing are reduced in size by 50 mm (25 mm per side), manufacturers will focus their research and development elsewhere. See the side fairings and the rear, where there will be more freedom and fewer limitations.

In Jerez, more or less all the MotoGP manufacturers introduced aerodynamic updates for the current season, effectively testing on track the second package that will be introduced during 2026, the only one allowed by the regulations (Yamaha, which falls under D concessions, excluded). This is the case first and foremost for Ducati and KTM, with Aprilia pushing even further. The solution seen on the tail unit, designed to monitor airflow almost in real time and, consequently, to subsequently develop even more refined aerodynamics, is already looking ahead to 2027. Raising the bar even higher in the process.

The engineers of the manufacturers involved in the top class still envision a “Aerodynamic Formula” MotoGP, although the primary initial focus will be understanding the Pirelli tires. The ban on devices such as ride-height adjusters and holeshot devices will be offset in other ways, but if the Pirelli specs aren’t maximized, it will be a serious problem. After all, bikes—especially prototypes—are developed “around the tire”: that was true yesterday, today, and will be tomorrow.