DI GIANNANTONIO SEEKS MORE 2027 TESTING FOR RIDERS

Fabio di Giannantonio wants MotoGP to guarantee every rider a minimum amount of running on the 850cc bikes and Pirelli tyres before the 2027 season, arguing that the scale of the changes makes equal preparation a matter of fairness and safety.

The VR46 Ducati rider is moving to Red Bull KTM and is one of nine riders who have yet to test next year’s tyres. The others are Francesco Bagnaia, who is switching from Ducati to Aprilia; Fabio Quartararo, moving from Yamaha to Honda; Alex Marquez, joining KTM from Gresini; Jorge Martin, changing from Aprilia to Yamaha; Ai Ogura, moving from Trackhouse to Yamaha; and Enea Bastianini, transferring from Tech3 to Trackhouse. Honda rookies David Alonso and Dani Holgado are also awaiting their first opportunity.

Those riders are due to try the new package at the Valencia post-season test on 1 December. The official pre-season schedule then offers just four days at Sepang and Buriram, with wet weather potentially reducing the time available further.

Bastianini has already suggested that riders who have not tested the 850cc machines and Pirellis should be allowed into the two-day Sepang Shakedown on 29–30 January. Di Giannantonio supports the idea. The event is usually open to race riders from manufacturers in concession rank D, but all five manufacturers are expected to begin 2027 in rank B. As a result, the Shakedown is set to be restricted to rookies and test riders. Five rookies—Nicolo Bulega, Izan Guevara, Senna Agius, Alonso and Holgado—are eligible to take part.

Di Giannantonio said opening the session to riders changing teams “would be super fair,” while acknowledging he did not know whether it would happen. He stressed that 2027 is “not just a small change; it's a completely new class.” With less time on the Pirelli tyres than some rivals, he said, “the expert riders will not be experts at all,” adding that he could be “like one of the rookies.”

He wants organisers to ensure that everyone arrives at the first race with comparable preparation. The concern, he explained, is not only performance: riders need to understand how the new tyres behave, and limited testing could leave them unfamiliar with the bike and its reliability. If a machine develops a problem and a rider loses a day of running, that gap could become significant.

“For safety reasons, we should arrive with a minimum kilometres for everybody and a maximum too,” he said. His proposal is for a guaranteed baseline of mileage, alongside a cap, so that riders and manufacturers do not enter the new era with sharply different levels of experience.