Sepang MotoGP Shakedown top speeds: Aprilia fastest
It's only a snapshot, and we won't know for sure until the full MotoGP grid takes to the track this weekend for the Official test, but the top speeds during this week's Sepang Shakedown put Aprilia fastest with Yamaha still suffering on the straights.
Aprilia race riders Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro both clocked an identical 334.4km/h (207.8mph) during Wednesday's final day of the Shakedown, on their way to first and second on the timesheets.
As with all top speeds, a slipstream would distort the figures while there was also a clear link between lap time and top speed, indicating that the fastest riders were able to get a better exit out of the final corner.
The effectiveness of ride-height devices also now play a crucial role in top speed.
Either way, Vinales backed that top speed up with a similar 332.3km/h on day two (when Espargaro did not test). Aprilia is the only manufacturer with technical concessions, allowing its race riders to test this week, plus the opportunity to make engine design changes during the season and two more engine changes for each rider.
Next closest to the Aprilias was Ducati rookie Marco Bezzecchi (fourth fastest on lap time) who recorded 333.3km/h on days two and three with last year's GP21. The only GP22 on track for the Shakedown was in the hands of factory test rider Michele Pirro (fifth fastest lap), the Italian's best was a 331.3km/h, on days one and three.
Suzuki test rider Sylvain Guintoli surprised with a 332.3km/h on day two (sixth fastest lap), however his best over the other two days was a 327.3km/h.
Honda joined the Shakedown with Stefan Bradl from day two. The German clocked a 331.3km/h on day two (ninth fastest lap) and then 329.3km/h (seventh) on Wednesday.
KTM reached 330.3km/h with Raul Fernandez on day three, when he set the third fastest lap time. It followed a similar 328.3km/h by the Spaniard on day one and two, and matched by team-mate Remy Gardner on day three.
Finally, the two Yamaha test bikes - being shared between Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Kohta Nozane and also, briefly on the last day, Cal Crutchlow - topped out at 325.3km/h, on day three.
The next best M1 speeds were 324.3km/h and 323.4km/h, during day two.
However, the Yamaha test bikes were also consistently among the slowest over a complete lap, being left some 2.5-3.3s off the fastest time each day, which would be reflected in a lower top speed.
World champion Fabio Quartararo, having made clear that boosting top speed is his main priority for the 2022 M1 to help fight the likes of Ducati, will certainly be hoping the full potential of this year's M1 engine is yet to be seen.
For comparison, Quartararo's top speed on the final day of the 2020 Sepang test, the last time MotoGP bikes were on track in Malaysia prior to this week's Shakedown, was 323.3km.h.
Ducati's Jack Miller was fastest through the speed trap at the 2020 test with a 333.3km/h, while Aprilia set 328.2km/h with Espargaro.
Due to the Covid technical freeze, 2022 is the first time that Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Ducati have been able to change their engine design since 2020.
