The 2027 MotoGP season will bring one of the biggest technical changes in years, with the premier class switching to 850cc engines and Pirelli tyres. But with testing opportunities limited, the amount of experience some riders have already gained with the new package is becoming a growing talking point in the paddock.
At the centre of that discussion is Nicolo Bulega, who has already completed 10 days of private testing on Ducati’s 850cc prototype equipped with Pirelli tyres.
That gives the World Superbike rider considerably more experience with the new machinery than most of the current MotoGP grid, raising questions about how much of an advantage he could carry into 2027.
The upcoming regulations will require riders and teams to adapt to smaller-capacity engines, new aerodynamics and a completely different tyre supplier, making track time particularly valuable.
However, opportunities for MotoGP’s full-time riders to gain experience have so far been limited.
Only a small group of riders have tested the 2027 prototypes with Pirelli during private sessions at Brno and Spielberg. Several leading names, including Fabio Quartararo, Francesco Bagnaia, Jorge Martin, Ai Ogura, Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio, have yet to ride the new-generation bikes with the new tyres.
Rookies Daniel Holgado and David Alonso are also among those waiting for their first opportunity, which is expected to come at the post-season test in Valencia on December 1.
The official pre-season programme will offer relatively little additional mileage. Full-time riders are scheduled to have two days of testing at Sepang and another two at Buriram, compared with the three-day format used previously.
Source: Reuters
Test riders and rookies will receive two extra shakedown days at Sepang, but the overall amount of available track time remains limited considering the scale of the technical changes coming in 2027.
That makes Bulega’s 10 days of private testing particularly notable.
The Ducati rider has already spent extensive time learning how the 850cc prototype behaves with Pirelli tyres, allowing him to build experience in areas where much of the MotoGP field has yet to begin.
Bulega is also expected to take part in the two-day Sepang shakedown, giving him another opportunity to gather data before the wider field gets more time on the new machinery.
KTM test rider Pol Espargaro has also experienced the 2027 prototype, having completed a private test day on KTM’s 850cc bike at Mugello. However, his mileage remains well short of Bulega’s total.
Espargaro has questioned the situation surrounding Bulega, with the Italian’s extensive testing programme standing out at a time when most full-time MotoGP riders have had far fewer opportunities to familiarise themselves with the new bikes and tyres.
The situation highlights one of the challenges surrounding MotoGP’s 2027 revolution. While the regulations are intended to create a fresh starting point for the championship, riders are not necessarily entering that new era with the same amount of preparation.
For now, Bulega’s extensive experience does not guarantee future performance, but his head start means he will arrive at the 2027 season with significantly more knowledge of Ducati’s new prototype and Pirelli’s tyres than many of his rivals.
