The first MotoGP action of 2026 has taken place at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia after the long winter break. Day 1 of the Shakedown test is complete, and teams are already gathering important information for the new season. This test is mainly for factory test riders, rookies and manufacturers with special concession rules, so not all the famous race riders are on track yet. Even so, the work done here is very important because it helps teams improve their bikes before the season begins.

Sepang is one of the toughest tracks for testing. The weather is very hot and humid, and the circuit has long straights and fast corners. This puts pressure on engines, tyres and rider fitness. If a bike performs well in Malaysia, it is usually a good sign for the rest of the year.

Many eyes were on two new MotoGP riders. Toprak Razgatlioglu from Turkey has moved from WorldSBK, where he became a three-time world champion. He now rides for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP. Diogo Moreira from Brazil is the current Moto2 World Champion and has stepped up to MotoGP with LCR Honda, where he is teammate to Johann Zarco. Both riders are learning to handle the extra power, advanced electronics and carbon brakes of a MotoGP machine, which are very different from the bikes they rode before.

Razgatlioglu was the quicker of the two rookies on the first day. He finished fourth overall with a best lap of 1:59.647. He had a couple of small technical problems early in the session but still showed impressive speed and confidence. His lap time was strong compared with previous testing at the same circuit. Moreira also had a mechanical issue but improved as the day went on. He ended eighth with a time of 2:00.894, which is a solid start for his first serious MotoGP test.

Honda topped the timesheets thanks to Aleix Espargaro, who is now working as a test rider. His fastest lap was only around six tenths of a second slower than a recent Malaysian Grand Prix qualifying time, which suggests Honda has made progress. The Japanese manufacturer has had difficult seasons recently, but their performance on the first day of testing looks more positive. They are now in concession Rank C, which still gives them some help with development, but less than before.

KTM also showed strong pace. Test riders Pol Espargaro and Dani Pedrosa finished second and third. Pedrosa, a former MotoGP star, is highly respected for his technical feedback. His work helps KTM improve the bike’s balance and behaviour in different conditions. Mika Kallio, another experienced KTM test rider, also completed laps as the team tried various parts.

For Yamaha, Razgatlioglu led the way, and the test team was not far behind him. Augusto Fernandez played an important role in development work and recorded Yamaha’s best top speed of the day at 327.3 kilometres per hour. However, Yamaha was still slower than Honda in straight-line speed, an area they have been trying to improve.

Ducati had test rider Michele Pirro on track, and he also set a lap in the 1:59s range. Ducati is known for innovation, especially with aerodynamics, and new parts were seen in the garage. As recent champions, Ducati often introduces ideas that other teams later follow.

Aprilia’s testing duties were handled by Lorenzo Savadori. He completed many laps, focusing on longer runs and checking different bikes, including machines from the Trackhouse MotoGP Team. His work is important for reliability and general performance as the team prepares for the official tests and the start of the season.

The first day of the Shakedown shows that teams are already working hard and that the level is very high.