2026 Sepang MotoGP Shakedown Test: Results - Day 1 (FINAL)

Shakedown testing runs from 10am to 6pm each day.

Although full grand prix and official test timing data is not in operation for the Shakedown, some limited live timing info is available. We’ll update below with times and notes when possible...

There were no significant changes on the timesheets in the final hours and Aleix Espargaro kept Honda on top by 0.524s over brother Pol Espargaro (KTM) on day one of the Sepang Shakedown.

Dani Pedrosa made it two RC16s in the top three, followed by Pramac rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu, who had a hiccup on the grid during the end-of-day practice start period, but had already finished as the top Yamaha.

Razgatlioglu was the only Yamaha race rider on track, with Fabio Quartararo (who is reported to have signed for Honda), Alex Rins and Jack Miller waiting until day two.

Meanwhile, Ducati's Michele Pirro, who began the day riding in the latest Lenovo race livery, made a debut on some new Ducati aero late on Thursday.

Here are the final 6pm lap times from day one of the 2026 Sepang Shakedown:

Pictures: Aleix Espargaro and rookie Diogo Moreira on track together, Espargaro is currently still fastest:

Just to re-cap, Razgatlioglu is the only Yamaha race rider seen on track so far, so unless they make a late appearance, Fabio Quartararo (who is reported to have 'signed' for Honda in 2027), Alex Rins and Jack Miller will be waiting until day two.

After a lull in the track action, riders are heading back out. Here are the 4pm lap times, with two more hours to go:

Official Sepang MotoGP Records:
Best lap: Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo, 1m 56.337s (2024)
Fastest race lap: Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati, 1m 58.873s (2023)

Many teams and riders are having their lunch break, suggesting they don't expect rain to bring the day to an early end.

This image (above) confirms Razgatlioglu is also using the old 'tri-plane' Yamaha front wing, and not (yet) the newer design - similar to the other MotoGP manufacturers - that was on show at the recent Yamaha launch.

• FIRST LOOK: Pictures from the 2026 Sepang MotoGP Shakedown Test

Here is another look at the 'wingless' rear tail unit on Toprak Razgatlioglu's Yamaha V4, from an Instagram post on Wednesday evening.

Rear grip is the main aim of the V4 change, and Yamaha perhaps wants to understand how the new bike performs 'naturally' in that area before adding wings.

Lap times as of 2pm. Only the Espargaro brothers are in the '58s so far, while Razgatlioglu climbs to fourth and is now the fastest Yamaha, ahead of test rider Augusto Fernandez.

Official Sepang MotoGP Records:
Best lap: Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo, 1m 56.337s (2024)
Fastest race lap: Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati, 1m 58.873s (2023)

There's been a second red flag period, at 2pm. Again it's to check track conditions, but this time at Turn 1 - and possibly in the aftermath of a crash for Pol Espargaro. We're also hearing that Moreira has had some kind of technical issue:

Here is reigning WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu in action for Pramac on day one of the Sepang Shakedown (note the lack of any tail wings).

Razgatlioglu is the only Yamaha race rider to have been on track on the new V4 so far. 

However, in previous years at least, the (non-rookie) race riders have often opted to skip the opening Shakedown day to wait for better track conditions and save their manufacturer's private test tyres:

1pm and it's a brotherly battle at the top with Pol Espargaro back on top for KTM after edging out Aleix, while five riders are now into the 1m 59s...

Official Sepang MotoGP Records:
Best lap: Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo, 1m 56.337s (2024)
Fastest race lap: Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati, 1m 58.873s (2023)

HRC test rider Aleix Espargaro, entering his 22nd season as a professional rider, keeps improving and is now down to a 1m 59.199s, which puts him 1.2s clear of KTM's Dani Pedrosa.

Although Honda is joining the engine design freeze this season, after moving from D to C in the concessions ranking, they can continue to modify the RC213V's engine until next month's Thai season opener.

Official Sepang MotoGP Records:
Best lap: Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo, 1m 56.337s (2024)
Fastest race lap: Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati, 1m 58.873s (2023)

Midday and Honda's Aleix Espargaro is 0.7s clear of Dani Pedrosa at the top of the times, with Augusto Fernandez third for Yamaha's V4.

Michele Pirro is up to fifth for Ducati, just ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu and Diogo Moreira. Lorenzo Savadori and Mika Kallio complete the line riders to have set a time.

Just to confirm, there is no lap count or best top speed data available, only a maximum speed of each rider's last recorded lap. The full timing info will be at the Official test.

Meanwhile, HRC test rider Aleix Espargaro sets the first 1'59s lap time, moving ahead of the KTMs at the top of the timesheets.

Razgatlioglu's Rookie of the Year rival, and reigning Moto2 champion, Diogo Moreira, joins the test. 

Moreira and team-mate Johann Zarco will unveil their official LCR colours (Castrol for Zarco, Pro Honda for Moreira) on February 1st.

It sounds like the red flag was to check for possible oil and the dirty track conditions. Testing continues.

Red flags were waved just after 11am to check the "track condition at Turn 9”. 

Aleix Espargaro had complained before the test that the track was in a dirty condition.

However, it's not clear if that is the cause of the stoppage or if fluid was dropped.

These are the lap times at 11am, after the first hour of testing.

A statement of intent by KTM, which has three test riders on track with the return of Mika Kallio. Meanwhile, it's team-mates Pol Espargaro and Dani Pedrosa who lead the early times.

Pramac's Toprak Razgatlioglu is the only Yamaha race rider so far on track, with Augusto Fernandez in action for the test team.

Michele Pirro (Ducati), Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia) and Aleix Espargaro (Honda) have also completed their first MotoGP laps of 2026:

2026 Sepang MotoGP Shakedown Test: Day 1 (Thursday - 11am)
	Rider	Nat	Team	Time
1	Pol Espargaro	SPA	KTM Test Rider (RC16)	2:1.103s
2	Dani Pedrosa	SPA	KTM Test Rider (RC16)	+0.497s
3	Fernandez/Dovizioso*	N/A	Yamaha Test Rider (YZR-M1)	+0.677s
4	Michele Pirro	ITA	Ducati Test Rider (GP26)	+2.277s
5	Lorenzo Savadori	ITA	Aprilia Test Rider (RS-GP)	+4.362s
6	Mika Kallio	FIN	KTM Test Rider (RC16)	+5.235s
7	Toprak Razgatlioglu	TUR	Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1)*	+5.620s
8	Aleix Espargaro	SPA	Honda HRC Test Team (RC213V)	+7.863s