Fabio Di Giannantonio is challenging the balance of MotoGP’s testing plan for 2027. Under the expected rules, the traditional Sepang Shakedown will remain open only to rookies and test riders, leaving riders who change manufacturers with little time to learn their new equipment. Di Giannantonio is due to leave VR46 Ducati for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, and says he will have four official testing days to understand a new motorcycle, a new team and new tyres at once.

The concern matters because 2027 will reset several key technical parameters. The current 1,000cc engines will give way to 850cc units, ride-height devices will be banned and Pirelli will replace Michelin as MotoGP’s official tyre supplier. For most riders switching manufacturers, the Valencia test is expected to be their first substantial chance to combine the 850cc motorcycle with Pirelli rubber. Only four official testing days are expected before the first race, which the evidence places at the beginning of March.

The gap was already visible at an earlier test in Brno, where the report says only Pedro Acosta and Honda’s two factory riders were able to ride despite several riders changing manufacturers for 2027. That leaves the incoming riders with less experience of the new motorcycle and tyres than some of their rivals before the new era begins.

Bulega starts from a different position

Di Giannantonio regards Nicolo Bulega as the clearest exception. Bulega is a rookie, so he will be eligible for the Sepang Shakedown. He also has Pirelli experience from WorldSBK and has taken part in Ducati’s 850cc testing programme during 2026. In Di Giannantonio’s assessment, no other rider currently has the same level of experience with the 2027 package. Marc Marquez is also identified as a rider who has already ridden the Ducati 850cc at Brno and is due to ride it again at a Red Bull Ring test, underlining how uneven access to the new machinery can be.

Di Giannantonio’s proposed remedy is to let non-rookies take part in the Shakedown as well. His argument is not simply that every rider should receive identical preparation, but that riders changing teams or manufacturers need more time in a season when both the engine and tyres are changing. He believes four days may not be enough to find the setup and balance required before the opening race. As a possible framework, he pointed to the strict restrictions already applied to training motorcycles.

He also accepts that changing the arrangement would be difficult. Di Giannantonio said there is currently no riders’ association capable of presenting a unified position, and that some riders may oppose giving others additional track time. In his view, the final decision on how much preparation riders receive before the first race rests with MotoGP itself.

Marini is less concerned

Luca Marini faces a similar transition: he is expected to leave Honda HRC and join Red Bull KTM Tech3. His response is more pragmatic. Marini believes the rule is already established and that riders must adapt, completing the necessary work even within the two days available at the Shakedown.

Marini accepts that learning the new tyres and motorcycle will be harder for riders changing manufacturers. He cited himself and Francesco Bagnaia, who is expected to move from Ducati to Aprilia, as examples. Even so, he says the riders are ready to handle the challenge. The contrasting views define MotoGP’s testing question for 2027: should the championship preserve the existing framework, or provide more track time during a transition that changes the engine, tyre supplier and several manufacturer relationships at the same time?