Ducati Halts Major MotoGP Development as It Focuses on the 2027 850cc Era

With MotoGP’s 2026 season set to be the final year of the 1000cc era before the 850cc rules arrive in 2027, Ducati has effectively reached the end of its major development push for the current Desmosedici. Ducati test rider Michele Pirro told GPOne that, for the present bike, there are “not many things” left to test because the team is already working on the next 850 project.

Pirro said the plan for the remainder of the season involves very limited new work: “The plan sees not many things to test, because we’re already working on the 850 era.” As a result, Ducati will have to contest the remaining races largely with the technical package it already has, rather than expecting a rapid fix for any recent weaknesses.

That matters because the championship picture has tightened. Pirro highlighted that Aprilia has recently moved into a dominant position, with three Aprilia riders occupying the top of the standings: Jorge Martin leads the championship with 240 points, teammate Marco Bezzecchi is second on 209, and Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura sits third with 203. Raul Fernandez, who won at Silverstone, is still in contention with 184 points.

Ducati’s own title fight is led by Marc Marquez, who has 200 points, while Fabio di Giannantonio is on 199. Pirro does not expect the overall hierarchy to change dramatically over the rest of the year, arguing that the second half will likely resemble the first: “Compared to the first twelve races, nothing will change. It will be more or less like it ran in the first races.” Even so, he cautioned against assuming a fixed pecking order: “We have to ride by sight. Every track will have its own story.”

The contrast between teams can swing sharply depending on the circuit. Pirro pointed to Silverstone as an example of how difficult Ducati’s situation can look on certain tracks, while Aprilia—through Fernandez at Silverstone—has shown it can win. “There will be tracks like Silverstone where we’ll be fighting,” he said, “but there will also be tracks where we’ll have fewer problems.”

Because Ducati’s development is winding down, Pirro also ruled out the idea of an immediate technical response. “There is no immediate solution for the problems,” he said, adding that the current project is nearing its end. That places even more weight on how each remaining venue suits the Desmosedici, and on execution on race day.

Looking ahead, Pirro suggested Ducati’s best chance is on tracks where the bike’s characteristics align well with the demands of the circuit. He was particularly optimistic about Aragon, describing it as a traditional strong point for the Desmosedici and specifically referencing Marquez’s history there. “I expect that in Aragon we’ll be the reference again. Marc can be the benchmark there,” Pirro said.

For the next rounds after Aragon, he expects tougher resistance. At Misano, Pirro anticipated strong opposition from Aprilia and Bezzecchi, noting that Bezzecchi has already been strong at that circuit in the past: “Then comes Misano, where it will be difficult, because Bezzecchi is strong. He was already strong there last year. But maybe Marc will be the one.” After Misano, the schedule continues with Spielberg, before the championship concludes in Asia and then returns to Valencia.

Pirro also framed the final stretch of the 1000cc era as a period where mistakes could decide the championship. With development resources focused on 2027, he believes the margins will be small and that race outcomes may hinge more on day-to-day performance and error management than on technical breakthroughs. “Mistakes could decide the championship. We’ve seen how small the limit is,” he said.

Even with limited further development, Ducati’s goal remains to stay relevant until the end. Pirro said the team is hoping to influence the title outcome at the final race in Valencia: “We hope we can have a say when we arrive in Valencia.” The last 1000cc-era race is set for 29 November in Valencia.