- Aleix Espargaro sets the fastest lap of the shakedown with a time of 1:57.173 minutes.
- All five manufacturers test their 2026 prototypes for the first time.
- Yamaha takes center stage with revised aerodynamics and a new V4 concept.
After three days of testing, the MotoGP shakedown at the Sepang International Circuit came to an end on Saturday. In consistently hot, mostly dry conditions, test riders, rookies, and Yamaha regulars took advantage of the first official outing of the year to test new technology under realistic conditions. In the end, Honda came out on top with Aleix Espargaro.
Aleix Espargaro confirms Honda’s progress
Aleix Espargaro set the pace on the first day of testing and improved steadily throughout the week. On Saturday, the Spaniard not only set the fastest time of the day with 1:57.173 minutes, but also the fastest lap of the entire Shakedown. This put him more than six tenths of a second ahead of last year’s benchmark.
Last fall, that time would have been enough for a spot on the second row of the grid at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Honda competed in the shakedown with Aleix Espargaro alone, while second test rider Takaaki Nakagami focused on developing the bike for the 2027 regulations.
Pol Espargaro consistent, KTM testing intensively
Right behind Aleix Espargaro, his brother Pol Espargaro finished the test in second place. The KTM test rider was only 0.126 seconds behind at the end and consistently placed second on all three days. KTM used the shakedown primarily for aerodynamics and rear variants. One motorcycle was predominantly finished in matte carbon, which indicates intensive comparative testing.
Pol Espargaro was uninjured despite a crash on Thursday and was able to continue the test program as normal. Team mate Dani Pedrosa finished seventh.
Yamaha with new aero package and V4 concept
Yamaha only fully entered the shakedown on the second day of testing, but then regularly moved to the forefront. Fabio Quartararo finished third with a time of 1:57.690 minutes, a good half-second behind the fastest time. Teammate Alex Rins followed in fourth place.
The revised winglets and side fairings on the Yamaha were particularly striking. After initial tests with a three-bladed front solution, a more angular aerodynamic design reminiscent of Ducati was used. In addition, new cooling structures were visible in the side fairings. Pramac rider Jack Miller finished fifth and set the fastest time on the second day.
Rookies in direct comparison
Moto2 world champion Diogo Moreira prevailed in the internal rookie duel. The LCR Honda rider improved by around one and a half seconds on Saturday and finished sixth. This put him 0.127 seconds ahead of Superbike world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu, who competed for Pramac Yamaha and finished eighth. Dani Pedrosa finished between the two.
Crashes, tests, and other placings
Ducati test rider Michele Pirro worked on aerodynamic comparisons throughout the shakedown. He crashed on Saturday in turn 14 but was uninjured and finished ninth. Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori finished tenth and also tested new fairing parts. Savadori is also set to compete in the upcoming official test, replacing the injured Jorge Martin.
The Yamaha test team with Augusto Fernandez and Andrea Dovizioso finished at the bottom of the timesheets.
Outlook for the official Sepang test
After two test-free days, the official Sepang test will start on Tuesday, in which all teams and regular riders are allowed to participate. Jorge Martin and Fermin Aldeguer will not be there due to injury. The shakedown showed that Honda and Yamaha in particular have made significant progress, but it is still too early to make any reliable statements about the pecking order.
What does this mean for me as a MotoGP fan?
The shakedown in Sepang does not provide a definitive assessment of the current situation, but it does give some initial indications of where the journey could take us in 2026. Honda’s fast lap times and Yamaha’s visible progress in development suggest that the balance of power could shift at least somewhat. At the same time, the close gaps show that the field remains tightly bunched. For MotoGP fans, this means one thing above all: the preseason promises excitement, technical diversity, and possibly more variety at the top, even if reliable conclusions can only be drawn after the official tests and the first races.
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