Pol Espargaro says MotoGP riders haven’t grasped the scale of the 2027 tire change as testing duties collide with his Tech3 return.
Pol Espargaro has warned that MotoGP riders are underestimating the tire changes coming in 2027, adding a major technical concern to a broad rules reset centered on new 850cc motorcycles.
The KTM test rider has spent the past month moving between development work on the manufacturer’s 2027 prototype and racing in place of Maverick Viñales, who is recovering from a shoulder injury. That experience gives Espargaro’s assessment added weight.
A warning from inside KTM’s test program
Espargaro said riders are “not aware of the change coming with 2027 tyres,” according to reporting published September 5.
No detailed performance figures were disclosed. Still, his warning signals a substantial adjustment rather than a routine specification update, with the tires arriving as MotoGP switches from 1,000cc to 850cc engines.
Riders and engineers will therefore need to establish a new performance baseline instead of measuring the new rubber against familiar machinery.
Race duty complicates the workload
Espargaro will replace Viñales at Tech3 for the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano. It will be his third substitute appearance of the 2026 season, following Silverstone and Aragon.
Viñales continues to rebuild strength in the shoulder he injured at Sachsenring.
Tech3 has not confirmed whether Viñales will return for the Austrian Grand Prix, which takes place one week after Misano. Espargaro’s dual role provides KTM with immediate feedback from current competition and its 850cc project, while compressing an already demanding schedule.
Spielberg puts both eras together
Espargaro will be at the Red Bull Ring regardless of Tech3’s race lineup because of his broadcasting commitments and KTM’s private 850cc test. The closed session is scheduled for the Monday after the Austrian Grand Prix.
The timing matters.
KTM can compare data from a full race weekend with its next-generation motorcycle almost immediately, as Espargaro moves directly between the two technical packages.
His tire warning indicates that carrying current riding habits onto the 2027 bike will not be straightforward.
Misano comes first
Before testing resumes, Espargaro must return to Tech3 at Misano and readapt to the current 1,000cc KTM. The San Marino weekend will be Viñales’ third consecutive absence.
Attention then turns to Spielberg, where KTM’s private Monday test will give Espargaro another opportunity to assess what the 850cc bike and its tires will demand from MotoGP’s next generation.
