- Jack Miller sets the fastest time on the second day of shakedown with 1:57.908 minutes.
- Yamaha in action with regular riders for the first time.
- Pol and Aleix Espargaro once again in the top 3.
After a first day of testing that was largely dominated by test riders and rookies, the MotoGP shakedown picked up speed noticeably on Friday. The reason for this was the arrival of the Yamaha regular riders, who are also eligible to compete due to the manufacturer’s classification in Concession Group D. Accordingly, the focus shifted more towards meaningful lap times and technical comparisons.
Yamaha joins in and Miller takes the lead
In addition to Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins, the Pramac team also took to the track in full force for the first time. Jack Miller, who had not ridden on Thursday, used the second day of testing for his first appearance in 2026 and immediately made his mark. In the final hour of testing, the Australian lapped the Sepang International Circuit in 1:57.908 minutes to set the fastest time of the day.
Miller was one of only two riders to break the 1:58 minute barrier. His time was around two tenths of a second faster than the previous day’s best and was enough to keep Pol Espargaro at bay.
Espargaro brothers strong again, but beaten
Pol Espargaro had led for most of Friday and was ultimately beaten by just 0.025 seconds. The KTM test rider thus confirmed his good form from the first two days of testing. His brother Aleix Espargaro, who had set the fastest time on the first day, finished third, 0.158 seconds behind, and was the best Honda rider.
In the Honda camp, the focus remained on detail work. Among other things, a black carbon fairing on one of the test bikes and slightly modified aero elements in the rear area were noticeable, but these are said to be further developments of known solutions.
Yamaha quartet close together
The two Yamaha factory riders followed the trio at the top. Fabio Quartararo took fourth place and brought both bikes into the top 5. Alex Rins finished fifth with his fastest bike, but was already around seven tenths of a second off the pace.
Rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu improved significantly compared to the first day. The reigning Superbike World Champion clearly beat his Thursday time, but ended up just under nine tenths of a second behind his teammate Miller in seventh place. What was particularly striking was his continuous approach to the pace of the established Yamaha riders.
KTM, Ducati, and Aprilia with test programs
At KTM, Dani Pedrosa finished directly behind the Yamaha riders in sixth place. Mika Kallio was also back in action, but lost several seconds to the leaders. According to consistent reports, the Finn will continue to ride an 850cc prototype for the 2027 season, but there has been no official confirmation of this.
Ducati fielded Michele Pirro, who rode with different fairing variants and collected valuable comparative data. On Friday, there was also one of the few incidents of the day when Pirro crashed in turn 15. The Italian was uninjured, but no information was provided about the condition of his motorcycle.
At Aprilia, Lorenzo Savadori worked through his extensive test program and rode several motorcycles, partly with a view to the upcoming official test next week.
Moreira still at the back of the field
The situation with Diogo Moreira remains difficult to assess. The LCR Honda rookie improved on his performance on the first day and broke the two-minute mark for the first time, but still finished at the back of the field. Around two seconds behind the leaders, it is clear that the transition to MotoGP has been more difficult for him than for Razgatlioglu so far.
Outlook for the final day of testing
Saturday is the third and final day of the shakedown. The following week, all teams and regular riders will travel to the official Sepang test, where the entire MotoGP field will be on the track together for the first time.
What does this mean for me as a MotoGP fan?
The results of the second shakedown day provide initial indications of how the balance of power could develop ahead of the official test and the start of the season. The fact that Yamaha is immediately setting competitive times with its new V4 prototype and Jack Miller is setting the fastest time suggests a high pace of development, but says nothing about actual race strength. What is particularly interesting for MotoGP fans is that several manufacturers are already operating at a similar level and both test riders and regular riders are setting fast lap times early on. At the same time, the special conditions of the shakedown relativize the significance of the results, as not all teams are running identical programs or comparable technology. What is particularly exciting is the realization that Yamaha, KTM, and Honda have already gathered concrete evidence ahead of the official test, which could point to a closer and more unpredictable season.
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