BASTIANINI WANTS EVERY MOTOGP RIDER TO TEST PIRELLI TYRES

Enea Bastianini says every MotoGP rider should have been given the chance to test Pirelli tyres before the manufacturer takes over as the championship’s exclusive supplier in 2027. The Tech3 rider, who is moving to Trackhouse Aprilia next season, is among nine riders whose first Pirelli MotoGP running is scheduled for December’s post-season test in Valencia.

The group includes established riders Pecco Bagnaia, Fabio di Giannantonio, Fabio Quartararo, Alex Marquez, Jorge Martin, Ai Ogura and Bastianini, all of whom missed earlier tests because of team changes. Rookies David Alonso and Dani Holgado have raced on Pirelli tyres in Moto2, while Ducati test rider Nicolo Bulega has experience from Superbike. Some riders have already sampled the new rubber: Pedro Acosta took part in both Pirelli tests, and Honda’s Joan Mir and Luca Marini rode the manufacturer’s 850cc prototype at Brno in June.

Bastianini asked KTM whether he could ride Pirellis at the Red Bull Ring on Monday, where adapted 1000cc bikes were used, but the request was turned down. He said the opportunity would have helped riders prepare without requiring them to test 2027 machinery.

“I tried with KTM to [negotiate] to see if it was possible to try, but at the end they told me no,” he said. “It’s better for everybody to try the Pirellis before arriving in Valencia. It was better to be mandatory for everybody.”

Valencia will open a shortened winter testing programme of five official days, and Bastianini expects the single post-season day there to be a difficult setting in which to understand the tyres. Cool conditions are also likely to limit track time.

“Just in one day [at Valencia] it will be very complicated to think about how will be the future with the Pirellis,” he said. He acknowledged that riders with prior experience, including Moto2 competitors and Bulega, would have an advantage, although he did not expect the gap to become a major problem by the first race.

Bastianini argued that earlier testing would benefit both riders and manufacturers. “I can give some comments to the factory. And, for me, I tried the tyre for the future. That for me is an advantage for everybody: For the factory and also for the rider.”

The 2027 rookies are due two extra days of running at the Sepang Shakedown, adding to the mileage available to riders such as Bulega. Bastianini joked that the Ducati tester had already done enough: “He can come directly for the first race!”

MotoGP has used Michelin tyres since 2016. Michelin is set to become WorldSBK’s exclusive supplier next season, while Pirelli prepares to take over in MotoGP.