Crutchlow: 2027 MotoGP Rules Need Old Tyre Approach

Cal Crutchlow believes the key to improving MotoGP racing lies in the past, not just in the upcoming 2027 regulations. As the sport prepares for a major overhaul, the Yamaha test rider has pointed to a fundamental issue that has made overtaking increasingly difficult in recent seasons.

Since 2023, stricter front tyre pressure rules with time penalties have pushed riders to run higher pressures, making it harder to follow other bikes and execute passes. The 2027 regulations aim to address this by banning ride height devices, reducing aerodynamics, and introducing new tyres from Pirelli, which could offer a front tyre more resilient to pressure changes.

However, Crutchlow suggests a different solution. "What it is at the minute is these guys can't pass each other because they're so on the limit," he told Visordown. "I know what would make the racing better, they just go back to the old tyre where you had to manage it. Now you don't have to manage it, that's why nobody can pass – everyone just goes at 100 per cent all the time."

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According to Cal Crutchlow, the 2015-2020 era required tyre management, which led to more overtaking. "I'm not saying it was the best rider that won, but you had to manage the race, manage the tyres, and they were more difficult to ride. That's why there were so many more passes in the race," he added.

The bike Crutchlow rides in 2026 is vastly different from his 2011 debut, thanks to aerodynamic development and ride height devices introduced in 2019. For the three-time MotoGP winner, the physicality is the biggest change. "With the aerodynamics, they've got that much downforce the things are glued to the floor. You can't do a wheelie on them anymore – no matter how hard you pull the handlebars. I way preferred 2015 to 2019. That was enough downforce and enough aero, the bikes were already hard to ride then," he said.

Crutchlow's comments add to the debate over the 2027 rules, as fans and paddock figures alike hope for more competitive and exciting racing in the future.