Marco Bezzecchi
MotoGP teams are already starting to prepare for the 850cc era of the sport in 2027, and former LCR Honda boss Oscar Haro thinks Ducati are in the best position.
With the 2027 season bringing swift changes to the bikes in MotoGP, such as the engines going from 1,000cc to 850cc, the removal of the ride height device and Pirelli tyres, teams are starting their development as soon as possible.
So far, KTM have caught most of the attention with their 850cc machine. They were the first to test the new bike on track, but despite their progress, Haro still thinks Ducati are ahead.
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The Austrian outfit have made strong findings in private testing for the 2027 season. KTM have found the ‘perfect’ solution for riding without the ride height device.
KTM are also adopting a ‘less is more’ approach with the bike, reducing its top speed, just as they are doing in 2026. This should be music to their riders’ ears, as Pedro Acosta winning the Sprint in Buriram and finishing P2 in the Grand Prix proved it works.
However, with all that said, Ducati will still be the benchmark, according to Haro. They have been the team to beat in MotoGP since the turn of the decade, and their other motorsport projects make them well-equipped for the 850cc era.
READ MORE: Everything to know about KTM from the MotoGP team’s riders to hierarchy
Oscar Haro says Ducati’s Superbike project is similar to MotoGP 850cc bikes in 2027
Discussing the MotoGP rider market and the 2027 season on the Fast & Curious YouTube channel, the former LCR boss says it is the ‘worst year’ to move teams due to the regulations changes, but he urged the Ducati riders to stay put.
He pointed out that their World Superbikes are ‘very similar’ to the new MotoGP bikes in 2027, and thus can use the data from the Pirelli tyres to develop their new Desmosedici, while their rivals do not have the same luxury.
“I tell you, this is the worst year to change teams!” he said. “This is really the worst year to move, because when we went from 1000cc to 800cc in 2007, there was a huge change, a really huge one.
“Everything varies a lot, doesn’t it? So, if I were a rider, I would stay with Ducati. Why? Because Ducati is fortunate, in a manner of speaking, to have a very similar bike in Superbike. Very similar. They therefore have a lot of experience with Pirelli tyres.
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“They had a lot of experience with a less powerful motorcycle. They were smart: during the Pirelli tests at Misano, they used practically the same motorcycle, simply electronically restricted, but already with the aerodynamics and the Pirelli tyres.
“While Honda and Yamaha use inline four-cylinder engines in Superbike, which means the information is useless, because the weight distribution and load transfer between an inline four-cylinder and a V-twin engine are completely different.
“The way you destroy the tyre, the way you tow from behind, nothing compares. So, I see Ducati as much more focused and prepared. Aprilia doesn’t even have that kind of information.
“If I were a Ducati rider, I’d stay there. Besides, in 2007, they were the ones who succeeded. We let Casey Stoner go and they won everything. Honestly, they won right up to the warm-ups. So I think that the place to stay is Ducati. It will be a very complicated year, with a lot of changes.”
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