– Aprilia is the last MotoGP manufacturer to have initiated the next major development step: In Jerez, the Italian factory brought its 850cc prototype for the 2027 season onto the track for the first time this Wednesday. The pilot of the private shakedown was test rider Lorenzo Savadori.
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With this, Aprilia joins competitors KTM, Honda, and Yamaha, who had already completed initial runs at the end of last year, as well as Ducati, which conducted a shakedown on April 13. The background is the comprehensive rule reform starting in 2027, in which the premier class will switch to 850 cc.
Originally, the test was scheduled for Thursday. However, rain-related changes in the schedule of the Moto3 and Moto2 sessions, which held official test days in Jerez on Tuesday and Wednesday, opened up a time window at short notice.
Aprilia took advantage of this to start work earlier and collect initial data for the further development of the bike, albeit under difficult conditions.
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Jerez had just hosted the Spanish Grand Prix the weekend before. There, Alex Marquez won ahead of Marco Bezzecchi on Aprilia, who continues to lead the overall standings. At the subsequent official in-season test on Monday, Ai Ogura set the best time of the day on a Trackhouse-Aprilia.
Both are a clear signal of the currently strong form of the manufacturer from Noale, both in sporting terms and in technical development, especially in the area of aerodynamics, under the leadership of technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini.
“Our goal – let’s see if we achieve it – is to be as well prepared as possible for what more or less awaits us. For us, we prioritized closed-door testing to try to get on the track and ride regularly without problems,” he explains.
Looking at the still open details of the new regulations from the 2027 season, Sterlacchini adds: “You know that the aerodynamic rules for MotoGP 2027 are not yet clearly defined, so we will have a prototype around the 850cc engine and then start development.”
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“We will work on the aerodynamic configuration, but keep in mind that there will also be a change in the standard software, which will affect shift management and other features,” the technical director looks ahead.
Test week in Jerez not over yet
Parallel to the development of the 2027 prototype, Aprilia continues to work intensively on the 2026 motorcycle, with which the first MotoGP title is targeted. At the same time, engineers, technicians, and the test team around Savadori are advancing the future project.
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Initial video footage from the team suggests that the new bike is already in an advanced stage of development, although it has only just made its track debut.
The rule changes for 2027 bring profound cuts: In addition to the reduction of displacement from 1000 to 850 cc, aerodynamics will be restricted, ride-height systems completely banned, and electronic aids reduced.
Furthermore, fully sustainable fuel will be mandated. Another central innovation concerns the tires: Pirelli will replace Michelin as the sole supplier.
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Two more private test days are scheduled in Jerez for Thursday and Friday. In addition to Aprilia, Yamaha and Ducati will also be on site. Aprilia plans to work on both the 2026 bike and advance the development of the 2027 bike. Another test date is set for next Tuesday in Mugello.
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