The opening day of the 2026 MotoGP Shakedown test at the Sepang International Circuit produced an early leader as teams started preseason work ahead of the full test next week. Honda test rider Aleix Espargaro ended Thursday on top of the timesheets with a best lap of 1:58.091.
Espargaro’s time was 0.524 seconds quicker than his brother Pol Espargaro, riding a KTM test machine, with fellow KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa third fastest. Turkish rider Toprak Razgatlioglu, competing for Pramac Yamaha, was fourth on the timesheet, just ahead of a Yamaha test pairing.
Moreira, Aleix Espargaro at the Sepang Shakedown 2026 | Source: Crash.net
Italian Ducati test rider Michele Pirro took sixth position, while Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori and Honda LCR’s Diogo Moreira filled out the top eight. KTM test rider Mika Kallio completed the order.
Thursday’s shakedown session featured a mix of factory test riders, a few rookies and selected race riders, but several full-time regulars such as Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins and Jack Miller chose to wait until the main testing days beginning February 3. Razgatlioglu was the only current Yamaha race rider to be on track on day one.
The shakedown test runs until Saturday and will give teams an early chance to try updated MotoGP machinery ahead of the official preseason sessions.
