It’s time to keep on shaking down as the Day 2 of the Sepang Shakedown Test draws to a close and we take another step closer to the first racing month of the year. With the factory test riders, manufacturers from Rank D – Yamaha and their full-time riders – and rookies on track, it’s vital track time which is almost impossible to replicate at any other time of the season. Hotter and far more humid today compared to day one, sunny skies greeted riders for their second day of 2026 action.

It was a positive day for Yamaha as Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) topped the timesheets and dipped into the 1’57 bracket, setting a 1’57.908, nearly a second quicker than Alex Rins’ day two-topping time from 2025’s shakedown. Just a couple of tenths behind him in P4, we got our first look at Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in 2026 and the 2021 World Champion hit the ground running. He put both his bikes in the top five, whereas teammate Alex Rins wasn’t far behind in P7 on the times but fifth fastest rider.

Rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) knocked seven tenths off of his day one lap time as he continued to learn the V4 Yamaha, Michelin tyres and Sepang. Finally for the Iwata manufacturer, their test team were hard at work again but this time with two riders: Augusto Fernandez and MotoGP Legend Andrea Dovizioso. Between them, a best of 1’59.351.

Hot on the heels of the Japanese manufacturer, the KTM clan were once again near the top of the times. Pol Espargaro was up in P2 at the chequered flag and into the 1’57s too, just 0.025s away from Miller at the top. ‘Polyccio’ wasn’t the only KTM on track on day two though as Dani Pedrosa continued his work long into the afternoon, setting 47 laps and putting both of his RC16s in the top ten fastest times. Along with Pedrosa and Espargaro, Mika Kallio also joined in, setting a best lap time of 2’04.376.

Onto Honda and it was Espargaro of the Aleix variety who was their fastest rider. Aleix Espargaro posted a 1’58.066 to put himself third and just 0.133s away from brother Pol. He did have a technical issue though but that’s what testing is for after all, to give all the new equipment a good run out before the full-time race team takes over. Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) continued his adaptation, knocking off nearly a second from day one and now into the 1’59s.

Ducati’s sole rider Michele Pirro continued putting in his hard yards. 46 laps bagged and a best of a 1’59.155 meant he was only 1.2s off Miller’s best time of the day and took off six and a half tenths from his opening day banker. After the aero breakout of day one, it seemed a calmer day for the Italian manufacturer.

Finally, onto probably the busiest test rider on track: Lorenzo Savadori for Aprilia. He’s in charge of dialling in all the bikes that will be used during pre-season testing; that’s eight across the board – two per full-time rider. He spent day two mainly focussing on the bikes from Trackhouse whilst on the technical front, it seems the chassis that Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) ended his 2025 campaign so strongly with and that teammate Jorge Martin liked in Valencia will now become the standard one for 2026. It’s just the small matter of aero that needs to be finalised.

Three different manufacturers in the top three, covered by around a tenth and a half and Yamaha not just leading the way but seemingly finding their V4 feet. One more day awaits in the heat and humidity of Sepang before a couple of days ‘rest’ to gather up the energy for the full-time riders to tackle the track!