The biggest surprise in MotoGP’s new technical rules for 2027, announced before L꧅e Mans, was the sharing of GPS data.

GPS i🦋s banned for use by teams in MotoGP, but GPS units are still fitted tꦐo each bike by the organisers ‘for their media and promotional purposes’.

Meanwhile, teams currently perform video analysis to try and unlock the strengths and weaknesses of their rivals, by overlaying the images with those of the♎ir own riders at the same part of the track.

But from 2027, s𓆉uch priceless information - and much more - will be freely distributed: “GPS data from all riders will be made available to all teams at the end of each session.”

This will open up a whole new area of analysis for the teams, who will pour over the data to directly compare racing lines, acceleration and braking performance with their own ⭕riders and bikes.

KTM’s Jack Miller feels it will ♊take away some of ꦉthe magic from MotoGP.

“The only thing I didn't like [in t꧋he 2027 rules] was the whole GPS data available to everybody. I mean, what the f**k 🐲is that for?” Miller said.

“At the end of the day, it's motorcycle racing and the whole idea is to♛ get the edge over your competition and not tell them exactly where you're going faster!

“It’s𒀰 the w🧸hole guesswork of it, that's what makes the sport beautiful.

“So I kind of didn't like that one. I don't understand how that one made it past🌠 the manufacturers, ♐but it did!”

It’s certainly true that such data will benefit struggling manufacturers - by🔯 showing exactly where they are losing out - more than those already at the top of the timesheets.

But the five manufacturers probab𒆙ly agreed to the GPS data sharing on the grounds that the current video analysis (using their static trackside cameras as well as the TV feed) eventually achieves a similar goal - at much greater expense and effort.

The GPS data will als🐼o be used to “give a lot of insight to the fans” explained𓂃 Carlos Ezpeleta, Dorna's Chief Sporting Officer.

“GPS is s🦹omething we’ve been workiဣng on for a number of years with the new transponders in MotoGP, which have GPS data, which we’re using for Race Direction,” Ezpeleta said.

“As part of this evolutio🦹n, we now want to embed it for manufacturers to use. Always post session [not in real time], that’s an imp꧟ortant clarification. So all teams will receive, from the organisers, all the data from all the riders, at the end of each session.

“That wil🦩l firstly help us to have much better GPS data. We have to talk about the specifics with the manufacturers, but we’re tar𓂃geting time differential GPS from 2027.

“Th🐠at will also, specifically in terms of the organisers, help us for safety and crash investigation. Let’s say the lines, and distances, both rider and bike. So we think that’s an incredible enhancement for Race Direction moving forward.

“And alܫso this will eventually give a lot of insight to the fans in terms of different lines in a chicane or cor🔴ner. From one bike to another, from one rider to another.

“So I think there’s definitely a lot of insight in terms of how that will be delivered and also the manufacturers will be able to see 𝐆how the different bikes and riders are moving.

“It’s a big project, ꧋but I think it wi🅺ll have a lot of value.”

The other 2027 amendments are: A drop from 1,000 to 850cc engines, plus reduction in cylinder bore size to 75mm. One less engine change per season. A reduction in gearbox ratios. Ban on ride-height devices. Reduction in fuel tank capacity. 50mm reduction in the front width and nose dimen😼sions of the fa💝iring (aero). Homologation of rear seat aero and use of 100% 'non oil-refinement origin fuel'.

Miller said oꦫf the other changes: “50mm ain't going to change all that much in that [aero] department.

“But it’s cool to see ride-height devices have gone. I think that’ll be a good change. 850cc, also a good change. I mean, all these beautiful racetracks that we go �🃏�to are slowly but surely getting too small.

“Fans are also getting further🔯 and further away from the action simply because these bikes are absolute ballistic missiles, and the tracks are getting too small for how fast the bikes are.

“There'll be some interesting ideas come out of this and obviously, looking back to the original 800s, they were some pretty cool soundin🥀g motorcycles.

“Change is good. And like I said, go⭕od t🍨o see the devices go. I think that’ll help. And I'd really like to see aero gone.”

Gone all together?

“Yeah, I think so. I think we're at a point now where everybody's aero is pretty bloo🤡dy good🐓. Don't get me wrong, the red bikes have still got a good package, but I don't believe that ours, or an Aprilia is any different [performance-wise].

“And having the experience of riding bikes without winglets, it's a lot more work in terms of managing the wheelie and how you can set-up your power an🐬d use your power. Rather than a 🍌point-and-squirt kind of thing now, with the devices and the winglets.

“I also think they make the bikes ugly. And motorcycle racing is supposed to ﷽be beautiful.”