The opening day of the 2026 MotoGP Shakedown took place at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia, where brothers Aleix and Pol Espargaró claimed the fastest times, establishing a strong presence ahead of their competitors. This event, held in early January, serves as a critical preparation phase before the official testing session set for February 3 to 5, focusing on manufacturers’ test riders and rookies.
The Espargaró siblings led the charge in this closed-session shakedown, with Aleix setting the top time at 1’58.091, narrowly ahead of his brother Pol, who finished just over half a second behind. Their performances set the tone for the teams as they test bikes and setups away from public view and live broadcasts.
Overview of Shakedown’s Role and Participant Restrictions
The Sepang Shakedown is traditionally restricted to test riders and newcomers, creating a controlled environment for manufacturers to evaluate new machines and components. Yamaha holds a special status due to ongoing concessions, allowing their regular riders to participate alongside rookies like Toprak Razgatlioglu and Diogo Moreira.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, three-time Superbike World Champion and this year’s MotoGP rookie, was prominent for Yamaha on the first day. Starting the session using an older fairing and later switching to a configuration without the rear wing but retaining the old front aero package, Razgatlioglu focused on adapting to his new M1 machine. Alongside him, test rider Augusto Fernandez evaluated multiple motorcycles equipped with rear bodywork enhancements, highlighting Yamaha’s development efforts.
Reduced Presence from Honda and Ducati
Due to Honda’s improved results last season, the brand’s concessions were reduced, limiting their ability to field regular riders during the shakedown. As a result, only Honda’s test rider, Aleix Espargaró, and rookie Diogo Moreira from the LCR satellite team participated on Honda machinery. The duo concentrated on refining the RC213V 2026 model, though detailed information about their testing program remains undisclosed.
Ducati participated with test rider Michele Pirro, who ran the 2026 livery and introduced a new fairing on a second bike, demonstrating Ducati’s continuous aerodynamic developments ahead of the upcoming season.
Aprilia and KTM’s Testing Approaches
Aprilia’s efforts were spearheaded by Lorenzo Savadori, who is conducting an intense evaluation program across all eight motorcycles assigned to the team this year. Savadori is scheduled to continue his development role in the official testing next week, stepping in for Jorge Martin, who remains sidelined following corrective surgeries.
KTM deployed a notably busy lineup, utilizing three test riders: Pol Espargaró, Dani Pedrosa, and Mika Kallio. This trio signals a comprehensive testing regime, although specific details on their activities were not disclosed. Pol Espargaró experienced a fall at midday but emerged unharmed, managing to secure second place for the day behind his brother.
First Day Times and Performance Summary
The leaderboard after day one saw Aleix Espargaró topping the timesheets, followed by Pol Espargaró with a gap of 0.524 seconds. Veteran test rider Dani Pedrosa occupied third place, trailing by just over one second. Behind them, Toprak Razgatlioglu was fourth, ahead of Augusto Fernandez, Michele Pirro, Lorenzo Savadori, and Diogo Moreira. While these lap times provide an initial ranking, the absence of full testing programs means that results are to be interpreted with caution.
It was noted that riders’ best individual lap times were recorded regardless of how many motorcycles they used, establishing the session’s official performance hierarchy.
Shakedown’s Significance for the MotoGP Season
This first day at Sepang offers essential insights into team preparations and rider adjustments ahead of the official preseason tests. The Espargaró brothers’ strong showing confirms KTM’s promising development path, while Yamaha’s spotlight on rookies and test riders like Razgatlioglu emphasizes the brand’s strategy to integrate new talent.
With two more days of shakedown remaining and official tests approaching, this initial day sets a measured yet competitive stage for teams to finalize setups and evaluate new machinery. Observers will be keen to follow how riders like Lorenzo Savadori and Diogo Moreira progress, along with how manufacturers leverage these early test efforts to gain an edge in the 2026 championship.
