The first official prototype test for MotoGP's 2027 season took place behind closed doors in Brno on Monday, June 22nd. The 850cc motorcycles, designed to meet the new technical regulations, and the new tires developed by Pirelli were the two main topics of discussion. Honda HRC fielded Joan Mir, Luca Marini, and test rider Takaaki Nakagami; Diogo Moreira, who had delivered impressive performances in the last three races, was left out of the lineup.
Puig: 'We wanted to protect Moreira'‘
Honda HRC team manager Alberto Puig explained why Moreira was excluded from testing during the international broadcast held throughout the Czech GP weekend. According to Puig, Mir and Marini are the riders who know the current Honda RC213V best, and they believe they can gather the most valuable data from the new RC214V. "We will consult our current riders, Joan and Luca; they know the current bike best. We will try to get the best information about the new bike from them. Then we will decide what to do for the next test," said Puig, also hinting that Moreira will likely ride the bike in a future test, possibly in September.
Strange situation: Drivers who are leaving are testing the new motorcycle.
An interesting aspect of the test is that the riders who took to the track will not be with Honda next season. Mir and Marini will not be in the HRC lineup in 2027; the team's new signing Fabio Quartararo will be there, and a decision is expected to be made between Moreira and David Alonso for the second seat. Moreira, who has a guaranteed future with HRC thanks to his long-term contract, was not among those testing the 2027 motorcycle.
Moreira had a very competitive run over the last three race weekends: finishing tenth at Mugello, sixth at Balaton Park, and eleventh at the Czech GP, all securing direct entry to Q2. Puig responded to journalists' questions about Moreira's absence, stating that the situation wasn't exactly as described and hinting that the Brazilian driver would be back on track for further testing.
Pirelli's new tires and 850cc regulations.
Another critical element at the Brno test was Pirelli's new tire concepts. The Milan-based manufacturer collected data on the track with a range of 15 different mixtures, while also incorporating rider feedback into the development process. The new 850cc motorcycles offer a distinctly different concept compared to the current generation, with reduced aerodynamic packages and the removal of holeshot devices. Despite the announcement of the Concordia Pact last Friday for the 2027-2031 period, the market blockage is still not fully lifted, leading to uncertainty about who would use which motorcycle in the test.