The year’s final 850cc/Pirelli test reveals the manufacturers’ strategies

The work does not stop with the Grand Prix: the Red Bull Ring hosts on Monday the second and final 2026 Pirelli test open to full-time riders before the 2027 pre-season tests. MotoGP machines will switch to 850cc engines and Pirelli tyres next year, turning the day into an important first rehearsal for several projects.

KTM has chosen to let Pedro Acosta test its 2027 bike despite his move to Ducati at the end of the season. Other manufacturers are protecting their information more closely: Yamaha will not put Fabio Quartararo on its prototype before he moves to Honda, while Aprilia is doing the same with Jorge Martín ahead of his switch to Yamaha. Ducati is also limiting access for several riders who will change brands, including Francesco Bagnaia.

Those choices show that the test is about more than tyres. With a major technical change only months away, every manufacturer must balance the experience of its current riders against the risk of passing information to a future rival. The full grid will have to wait until the Valencia test in December to work in definitive 2027 configurations.