Honda’s first test of its new 850cc engine, intended for the 2027 MotoGP regulations, was severely hampered by persistent rain at the Sepang International Circuit last week.
The three-day test, planned as the final development run of the year before the Christmas break, was intended to give Honda’s team representative data on the prototype engine. However, heavy rainfall throughout the session prevented the team from completing meaningful dry runs.
Test rider Takaaki Nakagami took the bike—a conventional chassis fitted with a reduced aero package and the new 850cc engine—out on track, primarily using wet tyres. He managed only a handful of laps on slicks, limiting Honda’s ability to collect valuable data in dry conditions.
The Sepang test was also Honda’s last chance to fully exploit its D-level concessions, which it earned after collecting 35% of available points in 2025, promoting the team into Group C. Under the new restrictions, Honda’s riders will have fewer opportunities for private testing in 2026, with tyre allocations limited to 260 per rider and no private sessions allowed for regular riders.
As a result, like Ducati (Group A) and KTM and Aprilia (both Group C), Honda will have to rely on Pirelli-organized tests in 2026—currently expected to be two sessions—to further develop the 2027 tyres. The team may also split its remaining testing between the 2026 and 2027 bikes.
Plans moving forward see Aleix Espargaro focusing on final development of the RC213V, while Nakagami works with the new RC214V. Espargaro is expected to join the 2027 project midway through the season.
Notably, Nakagami was able to test the new Pirelli wet tyres, a compound no other manufacturer has tried yet. In comparison, other teams tested Pirelli’s dry tyres during the Misano test in September, and KTM conducted a private 2027 bike session at Jerez in November.