Rain on Day 3 Affects Final Times at the 2026 Sepang MotoGP Shakedown Test
A late rain shower during the final day of the 2026 Sepang MotoGP Shakedown test allowed Honda’s Aleix Espargaro to maintain the top position on the timesheets.
Quartararo’s New Yamaha Performance
Fabio Quartararo managed to shave a tenth off his fastest lap time with the new Yamaha V4, securing third place behind Aleix and his brother Pol Espargaro from KTM.
Other Key Performers
Quartararo’s teammate, Alex Rins, also broke into the 1m 57s range during the last hour, finishing in fourth place.
KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa made strides late in the session, finishing seventh and edging out newcomers Diogo Moreira and Toprak Razgatlioglu in the final standings.
Impact of Rain on the Session
The rain arrived with ten minutes left, disrupting last-minute time attacks as well as the final practice start period at the end of the test.
Overview of the Shakedown Test
Rookies and factory test riders from all manufacturers have been present since the Shakedown began, with Aleix Espargaro setting the pace for Honda on the initial day.
Official Testing Ahead
The Official test, featuring every team and rider except injured Jorge Martin (Aprilia) and Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini Ducati), will commence at Sepang on February 3rd.
Comparative Analysis
For context, Quartararo posted the fastest lap at the previous year’s Sepang Shakedown with a time of 1m 57.794s, later improving by a second during the Official test.
