The 2026 MotoGP season has officially screamed to life in Sepang! Here is the lightning-fast breakdown of Day 1 of the Shakedown:
The Lead Pack
- KTM Dominance: Pol Espargaro and Dani Pedrosa wasted no time, sitting 1-2 early on.
- Aleix’s HRC Debut: Aleix Espargaro clocked the first sub-2:00 lap (1’59s), proving the Honda move hasn’t slowed him down.
- The Big Debut: All eyes are on Toprak Razgatlioglu, making his highly-anticipated rookie debut on the Pramac Yamaha.
The Tech & Drama
- Yamaha’s Secret Weapon: The new V4 engine is finally on track, being put through its paces before the race riders (Quartararo, Rins, Miller) jump on.
- Red Flag: A brief stoppage at Turn 9 occurred at 11:00 AM to check for track debris/oil—likely the “dirty track” Aleix was already chirping about.
Early Times (as of 11:00 AM)
| Rider | Bike | Time |
| Pol Espargaro | KTM | 2:01.103 |
| Dani Pedrosa | KTM | +0.497s |
| Yamaha Test Rider | Yamaha | +0.677s |
| Michele Pirro | Ducati | +2.277s |
The heavy hitters (Quartararo and Rins) are eligible to join shortly. Stay tuned—the V4 era is officially underway!
Source
To dive deeper into the Day 1 action from Sepang, check out these official sources and live timing updates:
Primary Coverage & Results
- Crash.net (Full Results & Live Updates): 2026 Sepang MotoGP Shakedown Test: Results – Day 1
- MotoGP.com (Official Preview & News): 2026 Fires Up with Shakedown Test
Expert Analysis
- The Race (Detailed Shakedown Guide): Everything You Need to Know: 2026 Shakedown
- Motorsport.com (Schedule & How to Follow): MotoGP Sepang Shakedown Test: Riders & Updates
Tech & Team News
- Yamaha V4 Aero Insights: New Yamaha V4 Aero for Sepang Test
- Injury Updates: Jorge Martín and Fermín Aldeguer Sidelined for Sepang
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