2027 MotoGP Season: The Complete Overview – Teams, Riders, Calendar and the New 850cc Rules

• New regulations with 850 cubic centimeters of displacement and Pirelli as the control tire
• Season opener on March 5, 2027 in Buriram, Australia moves from Phillip Island to Adelaide
• Almost all factory seats have been filled anew, with up to five rookies moving up
• The Concorde Agreement secures the series with all five manufacturers through 2031

The 2027 MotoGP season marks the biggest technical and personnel break of recent years. With the switch from 1,000 to 850 cubic centimeters of displacement, the tire change from Michelin to Pirelli and the removal of ride-height devices, the premier class changes fundamentally. At the same time, the majority of rider contracts expire at the end of 2026, so the 2027 field looks largely different.

This page brings together all developments surrounding the new era: regulations, dates, teams and riders, the state of testing and the changes in the smaller classes. Everything about the current season can be found in our overview of the 2026 MotoGP season.

Who Rides for Which MotoGP Team in 2027?

Of the 22 seats on the 2027 grid, 17 are officially confirmed. Two more are regarded as taken but have not been made official by the team or the manufacturer, and three are still open: the second Tech3 seat and the allocation of David Alonso and Diogo Moreira across the two Honda teams.

According to consistent reports, both Honda youngsters have a contract with HRC, but which of them sits in the factory team and which one at LCR has not been decided. In the plans so far, Maverick Viñales and Brad Binder are left without a seat. Table as of September 11, 2026.

What Changes in MotoGP in 2027?

A completely new technical set of regulations applies from 2027. Displacement drops from 1,000 to 850 cubic centimeters, aerodynamics are cut back, and the ride-height devices disappear. At the same time, Pirelli replaces the previous tire supplier Michelin.

The new tires are more than a change of supplier. From 2027, Pirelli will fit the MotoGP tires with colored stripes on the sidewall, so that it is visible from the outside which compound a rider is currently using. KTM test rider Pol Espargaró assumes that the change will shift the balance of power in the premier class considerably.

→ MotoGP 2027: Why the New Rules Are Already Shaping Everything
→ Pirelli gives MotoGP tyres colour markings: what really changes in 2027
→ Pirelli Won’t Build a Marquez Tire: What Really Matters in 2027

There are changes in the sporting rules as well. The Grand Prix Commission is abolishing wildcard entries entirely from 2027, which means test riders such as Dani Pedrosa and Michele Pirro lose their last opportunity to race. The reduction from two bikes to one per rider, pushed by Aprilia and Ducati, has failed, however: KTM refused to agree, so the manufacturers association MSMA lacked the required unanimity. It remains at two machines per rider. The promoter is also demanding that every manufacturer keep a permanently contracted replacement rider on hand from 2027, a request the manufacturers have so far rejected.

→ MotoGP Bans Wildcards from 2027: The End of an Era for Test Riders like Pedrosa and Pirro
→ KTM Stops One-Bike Rule: MotoGP Sticks With Two Bikes in 2027
→ MotoGP Considers Scrapping the Two-Bike System from 2027

For the riders themselves, 2027 brings an economic change: from that season onward, a binding minimum base salary of 500,000 euros (around 590,000 US dollars) per year applies to all riders in the premier class for the first time. On the supplier side, Brembo has developed a new brake caliper that is around 80 grams lighter and was already in use at the Misano test.

→ MotoGP Introduces Minimum Salary: €500,000 for All Riders from 2027
→ Brembo Brake Caliper for MotoGP 2027: Lighter and Already in Testing
→ KTM Copies Aprilia’s F-Duct: Aero Arms Race Ahead of the 850cc Era

When Does the 2027 MotoGP Season Start?

The 2027 season begins from March 5 to 7, 2027 in Buriram. The Grand Prix of Thailand thus opens the new era with the 850cc engines.

→ MotoGP 2027 Starts on 5 March: Buriram Opens the 850cc Era

Preparation time is short. The published test dates provide only five official test days with the new machines for the regular riders, right before the biggest rule change in years.

→ MotoGP Testing 2027: Why the Riders Only Get Five Days on the 850s

In the calendar itself, the most striking change is in Australia: the Grand Prix leaves Phillip Island and moves to Adelaide, where a street circuit is set to be used for the first time in the history of the motorcycle world championship. South Australia’s Premier Peter Malinauskas has since presented a revised track design: compared with the first plan from February 2026, the circuit has become shorter, has three corners fewer and runs completely differently at one decisive point.

→ MotoGP leaves Phillip Island: Adelaide gets its first street circuit in history
→ MotoGP Adelaide 2027: New Layout, Three Corners Fewer Than Planned

The 2027 Teams and Riders in Detail

The 2027 rider field is largely settled. Almost all contracts ran out at the end of 2026, and the rider market only got moving after the new Concorde Agreement had been signed. Up to five rookies move up into the premier class, while several well-known names no longer find a seat.

→ MotoGP 2027: Generational Shift Pushes Five Veterans Out of the Field

Ducati

Marc Márquez has extended his contract with Ducati until the end of 2028. Alongside him, Pedro Acosta will ride for the factory team from 2027, while Francesco Bagnaia leaves the team at the end of the 2026 season. Acosta has since explained why his patience with KTM ran out; he sits on the Ducati for the first time on December 1.

Ducati is taking an unusual route when it comes to distributing equipment: the manufacturer starts with six Desmosedici GP27 machines, but only four riders receive updates over the course of the season. Those are factory riders Márquez and Acosta, Joan Mir at Gresini and one VR46 rider. VR46 has extended through the end of 2029, Gresini remains a customer team for several years. At VR46, Fermín Aldeguer switches from Gresini to Valentino Rossi’s squad and gets current factory equipment there for the first time. Nicolò Bulega joins as the second VR46 rider, coming to MotoGP from the Superbike World Championship.

→ Marc Márquez stays with Ducati: Contract until 2028 and championship fight
→ Bagnaia Leaves Ducati: Acosta Becomes New Márquez Teammate
→ Ducati 2027: Two MotoGP Riders Go a Whole Year Without Updates
→ Aldeguer to VR46: Ducati Puts Him on Equal Terms With Its Factory Riders in 2027
→ Bulega to race MotoGP for VR46 in 2027: the rookie with the Ducati head start
→ Pedro Acosta Has No Friends in the Paddock: What Awaits Him at Ducati in 2027

Aprilia

Francesco Bagnaia has signed a four-year contract with Aprilia through the end of 2030 and, together with Marco Bezzecchi, forms an all-Italian factory team from 2027.

→ Bagnaia to Aprilia: Why the Four-Year Contract Through 2030 Stands Out

KTM

The factory seats freed up by Acosta’s departure have been filled: KTM signs Álex Márquez as well as Fabio Di Giannantonio, whose arrival ends Brad Binder’s seven years with the factory team. Tech3, led by Günther Steiner, has officially confirmed the multi-year contract extension with KTM. As its first rider for 2027, Tech3 has signed Luca Marini, who leaves the Honda factory team after three years. Maverick Viñales finds no place in Steiner’s plans, and neither does Binder.

KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister has also stated that KTM Factory Racing will not take on any external investors, despite a valuation in the hundreds of millions.

→ KTM Reshuffles MotoGP Factory Team: Marquez and Diggia Arrive in 2027
→ Marini leaves Honda: Tech3 confirms KTM switch for 2027
→ Marini Set for Tech3 Move: KTM Rebuilds Its Customer Team for 2027
→ Vinales counters KTM rumours: why his shoulder now decides
→ KTM Factory Racing Remains Off Limits: Why Mattighofen Turned Down Over 100 Million Euros

Honda

Fabio Quartararo moves to Honda and has a secured place as the number one rider in the HRC factory team, officially confirmed for 2027 and 2028. Joan Mir has confirmed his departure after the 2026 season and has signed a two-year contract with Gresini-Ducati. David Alonso will also ride a Honda from 2027, with the factory seat still open.

At the same time, Honda is restructuring its management: Alberto Puig hands over the team manager post at the end of 2026 and moves into an overarching advisory role at HRC. Davide Brivio leaves Trackhouse and joins HRC in 2027, whether as team manager or in a commercial role is still open. Engineer Kurt Trieb has left Honda again after less than a year and has returned to KTM.

→ Quartararo Moves to Honda: What’s Behind the MotoGP Coup
→ David Alonso to Ride for Honda From 2027: Factory Seat Still Open
→ Alberto Puig Hands Over Honda Team Manager Post
→ Davide Brivio Leaves Trackhouse to Become Honda’s Key Figure for 2027
→ MotoGP 2027: Honda Signs David Alonso, Holgado Joins Gresini Ducati
→ Honda MotoGP 2026: 109 Points Instead of 141, Eyes Already on 2027

Yamaha

Yamaha enters the new era with two world champions from 2024: Jorge Martín joins the factory team, and Ai Ogura moves there from the Trackhouse team in 2027, replacing Álex Rins. Quartararo leaves the team for Honda. Jack Miller ends his time in the premier class after twelve years and will ride for Yamaha in the Superbike World Championship from 2027 on a two-year contract, taking over the seat from Xavi Vierge.

→ Yamaha Signs Martin and Ogura: A Restart for the 850cc Era
→ Quartararo Leaves, Martin Arrives: Yamaha’s Factory Team Reset for 2027
→ Jack Miller Leaves MotoGP: Yamaha Signs Him for World Superbike
→ Jorge Martín on Ducati: “Contracts Mean Nothing to the Manufacturers”

How Are the 850s Performing in Testing?

All five manufacturers have now run their 850cc prototypes on track. Honda showed video footage of its RC214V prototype for the first time in March 2026, and test rider Takaaki Nakagami had already been out on the bike in Sepang in December 2025. At the third Sepang test, Aleix Espargaró also rode the 850, but crashed and underwent spinal surgery in Barcelona. Two fractures of the thoracic vertebrae T3 and T4 were confirmed, and two further vertebrae were stabilized. Nakagami and Stefan Bradl then took over the test program.

Michele Pirro completed the first public shakedown of the Ducati Desmosedici GP27 at the Misano World Circuit, for the first time with an 850cc engine and Pirelli tires under race conditions. The first multi-manufacturer test with regular riders took place on June 22, 2026 in Brno, where Aprilia set the pace with the fastest reported times. At the accompanying Pirelli test, several riders spoke of noticeably less power on corner exit and a more natural riding feel without ride-height devices.

→ Honda Shows New RC214V for MotoGP 2027 on Video for the First Time
→ Honda RC214V Back in Sepang: Espargaro Joins 850cc Development
→ Aleix Espargaro Undergoes Surgery in Barcelona After Sepang Crash
→ Ducati GP27 Shakedown Misano: Pirro Tests, Bagnaia Struggles
→ Aprilia Sets the Pace at the First 850cc Test in Brno
→ MotoGP 850cc Test: Why the Machine Feels Like a New Class
→ MotoGP 2027: Honda sends Mir to test 850cc bike despite Ducati switch
→ MotoGP 2027: Honda Warns Against Premature Conclusions About the New 850cc Bikes

Those involved assess the scale of the change differently. Tech3 team boss Günther Steiner describes the switch to 850 cubic centimeters as a small step back in order to take two steps forward in the end: less power and less aerodynamics are intended to make the races closer. Pol Espargaró, by contrast, expects a marked shift in the pecking order and sees Moto2 graduates at an advantage at the start, because the package of an 850 and Pirelli tires is closer to Moto2 than to MotoGP as it has been so far.

→ MotoGP 850cc: Steiner expects a step back first, then the progress
→ MotoGP 2027: Crutchlow, Marquez and Martin on the big upheaval

At Yamaha, the upheaval has already led to an open dispute. Fabio Quartararo no longer wants to take part in the development work for 2027 because Yamaha did not want to let him use the new tires at the Pirelli test after the Austrian GP. Team director Massimo Meregalli has since accused the Frenchman of a lack of objectivity.

→ Quartararo Halts Yamaha Development: The Pirelli Test Was the Trigger
→ Yamaha hits back at Quartararo: Meregalli holds up Miller as the example

What Changes in Moto2 in 2027?

Moto2 is getting new technology in 2027 as well. Triumph is completely reworking the race engine and supplying a newly designed three-cylinder with a new cylinder head and new crankcases: around six percent more peak power, two kilograms less weight and a changed displacement. Because the mounting points move at the same time, Kalex, Boscoscuro and Forward have to build completely new chassis.

→ Triumph Moto2 Engine 2027: More Power Forces New Chassis

Who Runs MotoGP from 2027?

The commercial basis for the new era has been in place since June 2026. Ducati, Aprilia, Honda, KTM and Yamaha have signed a framework agreement with the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group for the period from 2027 to 2031, releasing the rider market that had been blocked for months. It was preceded by an open conflict in which the manufacturers boycotted a Liberty dinner in Jerez.

MotoGP is also realigning itself at the top of the series: Carlos Ezpeleta was promoted to deputy CEO of the MotoGP Group on August 25, 2026, while his father Carmelo remains CEO.

→ MotoGP Future Secured: All Five Manufacturers Sign Through 2031
→ MotoGP Concorde Agreement sealed: Rider market for 2027 now in motion
→ MotoGP Manufacturers Boycott Liberty Dinner in Jerez
→ Carlos Ezpeleta Becomes MotoGP Deputy CEO: Liberty Backs the Family

It remains open whether the new regulations will attract additional manufacturers. CFMoto has clearly named the order of its racing plans: World Superbike first, then MotoGP.

→ New manufacturers for MotoGP from 2027: These brands are considered realistic candidates
→ CFMoto plans MotoGP entry: World Superbike first, then the premier class

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the 2027 MotoGP season start?
The 2027 MotoGP season begins from March 5 to 7, 2027 in Buriram. The Grand Prix of Thailand thus opens the first season under the new 850cc regulations.

What changes technically in MotoGP in 2027?
Displacement drops from 1,000 to 850 cubic centimeters, the aerodynamics are cut back and the ride-height devices are dropped. In addition, Pirelli replaces previous tire supplier Michelin and marks the compounds with color on the sidewall for the first time.

Who rides for the Ducati factory team in 2027?
Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta will form the Ducati factory team from 2027. Márquez has extended through the end of 2028, Acosta comes from KTM, and Francesco Bagnaia leaves the team at the end of the 2026 season for Aprilia.

Why is MotoGP switching from Michelin to Pirelli?
Pirelli takes over tire supply for all three Grand Prix classes from 2027. The change is part of the new regulations, and several riders report a noticeably different handling after the first tests.

Where does the 2027 Australian GP take place?
The Grand Prix of Australia moves from Phillip Island to Adelaide in 2027. It will be the first street circuit in the history of the motorcycle world championship, and its layout has already been shortened compared with the first draft.

Conclusion and Outlook

MotoGP 2027 starts with more unknowns than any season in recent years. A new displacement, a new tire supplier, less aerodynamics and a rider field that looks different from 2026 at almost every factory seat make predictions difficult.

The decisive factor is likely to be which manufacturer makes the best use of the short test phase. Five official test days are few for a change of this scale, and the first meaningful comparisons will come no earlier than the winter test in Sepang.

This page will be updated continuously as new dates, rider decisions or technical details become known. All the background can be found in the linked articles. What is happening on the production side in 2027 is covered in our overview of the 2027 motorcycle releases.