As first reported by Autosport last November, a move to downsize MotoGP’s current four-stroke 1000cc engines to 850cc has been a key pillar of the 2027 ruleset being devised by the championship in conjunction with the manufacturers.
MotoGP’s Grand Prix Commission confirmed on Monday the complete 2027 rule framework.
The proposal to downsize the engines for the first time since 2007 has been driven by a need to reduce bike speeds in order to improve safety at many of the current tracks in use by the series.
MotoGP has been using 1000cc engines since 2012, following the move to the much maligned 800cc regulations in 2007.
Prior to that, between the beginning of the new four-stroke MotoGP era in 2002 and 2006, engine capacity was at 990cc – which took over from the two-stroke 500cc days of grand prix racing.
Another key change to the rules for 2027 is the reduction in aerodynamics.
Aerodynamic development has become a key battleground in MotoGP in recent years, though this push has generally had a negative effect on the racing spectacle.
This will be brought under control by reducing the permitted sizes of the front of the aero body, while any parts added to the rear of the bike must now be homologated as part of the whole aero body.
One aero update per season will still be allowed under the new regulations.
All ride height devices, including holeshot devices for the starting procedure, will be banned. This follows a ban on front ride height devices which took effect for 2024.
Other smaller changes to the regulations include the reduction in engine numbers for a 20-race calendar from seven to six, or from nine to seven in the case of a 21 or 22-round schedule.
The minimum bike weight will be reduced from 157kg to 153kg, while fuel tank capacity for a grand prix and a sprint will be reduced from 22 litres to 20 and from 12 litres to 11.
The concessions system reintroduced for 2024 will remain in 2027, and all manufacturers that race in 2026 will start the new regulation cycle as a Rank B marque.
This will mean all 2026 manufacturers will start 2027 with a freeze on engine development, will be allowed three wildcards per season, no in-season testing for race riders and 190 tyres for testing.
Any new manufacturer for 2027 will start as Rank D, which permits free engine development and testing with race riders, as well as six wildcards and 260 test tyres.
A manufacturer’s rank will be reassessed mid-season.
A previously announced element of the 2027 rules will be the use of 100% sustainable fuels, with the first steps towards that taken this year with the introduction of fuels made up of 40% non-fossil origin material.
MotoGP’s last major technical overhaul came in 2016 with the introduction of the controlled electronics unit brought in to reduce the gap between the all-conquering Japanese manufacturers and the rest of the field.
This ultimately helped boost manufacturer presence in MotoGP, with Suzuki and Aprilia rejoining the series from 2015 and KTM entering in 2017.
Since 2016, all three of those manufacturers have won races, while Ducati – who also benefitted from the regulation change after years of toil – has become the dominant force in MotoGP.
In recent weeks, BMW has not ruled out the possibility of joining MotoGP in the coming years, with the 2027 rule change seen as a gateway for the German brand.
However, it has yet to commit and said it had no part in the 2027 MotoGP regulation discussions.
