PICTURES: Sepang MotoGP Shakedown ends with Honda on top
A selection of pictures after the final day of the Sepang MotoGP Shakedown test, ranked by rider order.
1st: The three-day Sepang MotoGP Shakedown test concluded with Honda test rider Aleix Espargaro returning to the top of the timesheets, where he had been on day one.
Although Honda is joining the European factories in the engine development freeze, after moving from D to C in the concessions rank, they can modify the RC213V's engine up until the Thai season opener.
That means, like Yamaha, there are no technical restrictions on the areas that Honda can improve ahead of the 2026 season.
2nd: Aleix spent much of the three days tussling for supremacy with younger brother Pol Espargaro, who finished the Shakedown just 0.126s behind on the latest KTM.
3rd: Jack Miller may have grabbed the headlines by leading day two on thenew V4, but Fabio Quartararo returned to his usual status as top Yamaha on day three.
Quartararo, like most of his team-mates, also tried the latest Yamaha aero.
4th: Monster Yamaha team-mate Alex Rins, a V4 race winner with Honda, was only 0.2s slower than Quartararo on day three.
5th: Day two leader Jack Miller went slightly slower on the final day for fifth on the timesheets and was the final rider within one-second of Aleix Espargaro.
6th: LCR Honda's Diogo Moreira made a big step on the final day of the Shakedown, slashing 1.6s from his previous best lap time to be the top rookie (+1.165s)
7th: Splitting the two rookies, each a reigning world champion, on the final day was KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa, in seventh (+1.291s).
8th: Reigning WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu improved across all three days, from a 1m 59'6, to a '58.8 and finally a '58.5, putting the Pramac Yamaha rider eighth and +1.292s.
Interestingly, Razgatlioglu appeared to ride without any rear aero for the entire test, while the other M1s ran rear wings. He also stuck with the older aero package.
9th: Michele Pirro was Ducati's lone rider at the Shakedown, preparing all of the Desmosedicis as well as trying the latest factory aero package on his way to ninth (+1.726s).
10th: Like Pirro, Aprilia's Lorenzo Savadori had a lot of work on his shoulders, preparing all the RS-GPs for the factory team and Trackhouse. He'll also stand in for the injured Jorge Martin during next week's Official test. Savadori's best time put him tenth on day 3 (+1.775s).
11th: Yamaha test riders Augusto Fernandez and Andrea Dovizioso were both on duty at the Shakedown.
The timing screens didn't specify who set which lap time, but Fernandez was seen in action at the start of the Shakedown before handing over to Dovizioso.
The best time for the shared 'Yamaha Test Riders' bikes was a 1m 59.351s on day two.
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Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.