Editorial Note: The official All-Time MotoGP Lap Record at Sepang was a 1:57.491 set by Francesco Bagnaia in 2023.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna.

#SepangTest: Bastianini hits back to head Martin & Binder on Day 2

The laptimes tumble on Wednesday as the 1:57 club expands and the ‘Beast’ takes to the top

Wednesday, 07 February 2024

Ducati Lenovo Team’s Enea Bastianini produced late brilliance on Day 2 of the Sepang Test, claiming top spot thanks to a new, albeit unofficial, outright lap record. Five riders all bettered 2023 Champion Pecco Bagnaia’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) pole position lap from late last year, with The Beast firing in a historic 1:57.134 to once again prove his pace in Malaysia. 

Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin had to settle for second in the end after leading the pack for the vast majority of the day. The Spaniard finished 0.139 seconds adrift of 2023 Malaysian Grand Prix winner Bastianini. KTM and Aprilia were hot on the heels of the Ducati duo too, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the top three ahead of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing).

After an under-the-radar opening day in Sepang, 2023 World Champion Bagnaia also joined the party, claiming the final spot inside the top five with a 1:57.469, leaving him just over three tenths behind his teammate.

Ducati Lenovo, Prima Pramac, Pertamina Enduro VR46 & Gresini

Bastianini, Martin and Bagnaia all put themselves under the lap record on Wednesday, with all three doing their laps with the Bologna factory’s much-improved new engine. The bulk of their work was focused on aerodynamics, however, with a united consensus yet to be reached. Michele Pirro was also back out subbing for Franco Morbidelli.

A late tumble for Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) couldn’t dampen what was otherwise another positive day for The Doctor’s squad. The #72 rounded out Day 2 in ninth place, and ahead of one name he had his eye on, whilst Fabio Di Giannantonio continued to impress. The Italian was one of the riders on top form in the second half of 2023, and he’s carried that momentum into 2024 despite the team switch.

Nobody did more laps than Gresini Racing’s Marc Marquez as he looked to make up for some lost time yesterday after a couple of small issues. The eight-time World Champion clocked 72 laps in total, 10 of which were an impressive Tissot Sprint simulation alongside his teammate. The #93 was just over 2 seconds quicker than the Sprint-winning time in 2023. But Alex Marquez on the #73 was a further two seconds quicker again…

Red Bull KTM & Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Binder led the charge on Wednesday, but superstar rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) found yet another step forward, posting a 1:57.726 – a lap good enough for the middle of the second row of the grid in 2023. Big smiles for his side of the box! It was a tougher day on the other side, however, with Augusto Fernandez frustrated at his lack of progress after a couple of issues lost him some time. Steps forward, he reported, but not fast enough yet.

On the orange side, Jack Miller joined Binder in working their way through KTM’s various aerodynamic upgrades. The Australian finished 15th as the two take up the workload first refined by test riders Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaro in the Shakedown.

Aprilia & Trackhouse Racing

There were some contrasting emotions in the factory Aprilia box with Aleix Espargaro taking that impressive fourth, whilst Maverick Viñales was struggling with rear grip and, as a result, didn’t push for a time attack. But he reported the aim, regardless, is to be fast all year, not just one lap. The Spaniard was 18th today, one place and one tenth ahead of a similarly frustrated Miguel Oliveira. Trackhouse Racing’s Oliveira, still, said Espargaro’s fast lap was good to see for the whole squad as each work on their own programmes.

The trio also lapped together in the midday sun, ostensibly to check out the effect of the slipstream and potentially to put the machine through its paces in the heat, something that was tricky for the factory at times in 2023. Lorenzo Savadori, meanwhile, is the replacement for Raul Fernandez at Trackhouse for the rest of this test as Fernandez recovers from a crash on Day 1, with nothing broken but precaution the name of the game.

Repsol Honda & CASTROL/IDEMITSU Honda LCR

Repsol Honda’s Luca Marini and Idemitsu LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami put together the longest runs of anyone on Wednesday: 13 consecutive laps apiece. 10 of Marini’s laps were in the 1:59s, compared to only two 1:59s between all four Honda riders in last year’s Sprint and Grand Prix. 

Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) was also able to put in a headline laptime, taking the final spot in top ten. The 2020 World Champion was six tenths quicker than his Q1 performance last year, but reiterated that a lot of work is still to be done. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), meanwhile, was another tenth and a half off Mir – but he’s been the Honda rider most praising the leap already made. 

Monster Energy Yamaha

Electronics was the key focus for Yamaha, but Fabio Quartararo was left wanting a little more. The Frenchman managed to improve on his best lap from last year’s Malaysian Grand Prix but he was still three quarters of a second adrift of top spot. He said they’re still suffering a lack of pace during time attacks, something they’ll continue working on. The 2021 World Champion could only manage 11th today, with his new teammate Alex Rins a quarter of a second further back in 13th. But on the speed trap, there was a big ray of light for the Iwata marque as Quartararo was the outright quickest.

That’s all she wrote on Wednesday! There’s more action on yet to come on Thursday from 10:00 local time (UTC+8) until 18:00, so make sure you join us on motogp.com and across social media to get the full lowdown as the #SepangTest concludes. Then it’s off to Qatar for another two days of testing before that first date with racing destiny at Lusail in March.

More, from a press release issued by Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team:

DAY2 IN MALAYSIA FOR THE PERTAMINA ENDURO VR46 RACING TEAM

The work of Di Giannantonio and Bezzecchi continues at Sepang. Both under the wall of 1.58 and respectively in sixth and ninth position in the combined standings
 
SEPANG (Malaysia), February 7th 2024 – Another productive day for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team at the Sepang International Circuit where the first official MotoGP testing sessions of the 2024 season are underway. Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi, riding the Ducati Fluo Stream, they are both under the wall of 1.58 and finished in sixth and ninth place in the combined of the Day2.

Able of a chronometric step already in the morning, Fabio sets an excellent 1’57.619, a time that mean a gap of just four tenths from the provisional P1 (Bastianini, 1’57.134). 54 laps on the eve of the last day of work, tomorrow from 10.00 AM local time.

First ever to back to the track, Marco, immediately dealing with the first time attack of the season and he signs a best of 1’57.867. For him too, around fifty laps and a crash in the final minutes of the session at turn 7.

MARCO BEZZECCHI – 72

I’m sorry for the ending, the crash wasn’t necessary. I’m happy with the work done, we tried different things and gathered a lot of information. I’m not completely satisfied yet, because I can still make a step in riding. I’m not at 100%, but we already have some ideas for tomorrow. At the moment, if things remain like this, I don’t think we will do a race simulation. I prefer to focus on the setup, but we don’t rule out the possibility of finding some good solutions tomorrow and thus changing our plan.

FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO – 49

I am surprised, in a positive way obviously. In the morning we struggled a bit, I tried two front tires and I wasn’t completely comfortable in riding. We were a little late on the plan, but in the afternoon we tried a change that made us take a big step forward also in terms of quality. We went very fast, we worked well and we moved in the direction we wanted. In terms of flying lap, maybe we’re missing something, but I’m not worried. I’m really happy with the pace and tomorrow maybe we’ll try a Sprint Race simulation.

More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Search for One-Lap Speed at Sepang Test Day 2

Sepang (Malaysia), 7th February 2024

SEPANG MOTOGP OFFICIAL TEST

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins continued their programme at the second day of testing at the Sepang International Circuit. The teammates put in numerous laps and took 11th and 13th place respectively in today’s and the combined timesheets.

11th F. QUARTARARO 1’57.888 / 53 LAPS

13th Á. RINS 1’58.110 / 50 LAPS

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins were back on track at the Sepang MotoGP Official Test for a second day of riding in Malaysia. They continued to work through a number of different settings, taking 11th and 13th place respectively in today’s and the combined testing rankings.

Quartararo continued to show his motivation at the Sepang Test, completing 53 laps in total during which he tried various set-ups. The Frenchman showed off the 2024 YZR-M1’s top speed, clocking 338.5km/h. However, he is still looking to improve his time attack results. His best time of 1’57.888s, set on lap 7, kept him in 11th place, 0.754s from first.

After a solid first day of testing, Rins resumed his work on electronics and bike set-up. Getting more and more used to the YZR-M1 over the course of 50 laps, he bettered his time by 0.606s compared to Day 1. His 1’58.110s, set on lap 49, had him end Day 2 in 13th place with a 0.976s margin to the top.

FABIO QUARTARARO

We are first on top speed today, but that’s not what we aimed to be first in. The bike is very fast, but we still have to improve our fast lap. We’re finding little improvements, but nothing great. We have to find a solution, especially on the rear grip, where I think we are missing out a little bit. Hopefully we can make a step tomorrow and in the Qatar Test.

ÁLEX RINS

We are quite happy with the results we got today. We focused a little bit more on the electronics side, just trying to improve the things we tried yesterday. I also tried some different swingarms, and we also worked on the set-up. Overall, I made some kilometres on the bike, and I’m able to understand the M1 better, so I can try to find a better set-up to adapt the bike to my riding style. The engine that Fabio tested in Valencia and that they brought here – but a modified version – works quite well. So, we will start the season with this engine, for sure.

More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:

Mir finds a second on second day of Sepang MotoGP Test action

Both Repsol Honda Team riders made improvements as they continued to work on their 2024 machines, Joan Mir rounding out the top ten and Luca Marini in 17th.

Rain once again stayed away from the Sepang International Circuit as the MotoGP grid enjoyed an uninterrupted day of running. The Repsol Honda Team powered ahead with their testing programme, both riders able to make a step forward in their outright speed.

Wednesday in Sepang saw a return to positive progress for Joan Mir and his side of the Repsol Honda Team garage as they found some of the speed which had illuded them on the opening day. Already over half a second faster than his Qualifying time from the 2023 Malaysian GP and almost a full second faster than his time from the day before, Mir would ultimately end the day in tenth place with 39 laps completed. This left the #36 content with the work done and eager to make further improvements on the final day.

Another busy day in the Malaysian heat saw Luca Marini complete 41 laps with a best time of 1’58.394 – over half a second faster than his quickest time from Tuesday. In the afternoon, Marini turned his attentions to putting together a longer run to better understand the Repsol Honda Team machine over race distance. The exercise provided the Repsol Honda team and Marini with further areas to explore on the last day and later in Qatar.

The third and final day of the Sepang Test will begin at 10:00 Local Time.
 
 
 

Joan Mir

10TH  1’57.872

“Yesterday we tried a lot of things and today was about confirming those things which were working well. Today we had a base that I was comfortable with, so that is a great step to have made here and as a result I was able to improve my laptop by quite a lot. Already 0.6s faster than Qualifying here last year where I was ahead of my teammate. We are seeing the potential that’s there and I am happy with what we’ve done today, but we have to stay grounded and keep on working because there is still some margin. One last day here before we start thinking about the Qatar Test.”

Luca Marini

17TH  1’58.394

“It was another busy day in Sepang. I did a long run alongside trying many different things. The long run showed us many things and we were able to understand the work we need to do because I was wanting a bit more from it. It was positive to understand the bike and how it changes with the tyre wear during the course of a race. With new tyres I feel quite good so we need to match that feeling when the tyres are more used. This is why we go testing, to understand these points and to use the time we have to keep working on them. Time to rest and prepare for the last day here in Malaysia.”

More, from a press release issued by Red Bull GASGAS Tech3:

THE PREPARATION FOR 2024 CONTINUES IN SEPANG TEST AS BOTH ACOSTA AND FERNANDEZ IMPROVE ON DAY 2  

The hard work continued on Wednesday in Malaysia with the second day of the Sepang MotoGP™ Official Test, which saw both Pedro Acosta and Augusto Fernandez go through an intense day on a track, with a bit more than one hundred laps between them. The grid did not mess around on that second day as lap times went down quickly, and we saw the all-time lap record of the Sepang International Circuit being smashed two times today. It was first 2023 runner-up Jorge Martin who crushed the 1’57.491 of Pecco Bagnaia with a 1’57.273 after just a couple of laps in this morning. Later on, Enea Bastianini took over with an impressive 1’57.134 as he topped the timesheets on day 2.

Second fastest on Tuesday, which was already impressive for the young rookie Pedro Acosta, things got even better for MotoGP’s new #31 after he improved his fastest lap to 1’57.726 after just fourteen laps this morning, which is 0.494 seconds faster than yesterday. Had he been a MotoGP™ rider back in November, that lap time would have put him fifth on the grid of the 2023 Malaysian Grand Prix. A  small crash at turn 9 called it out for the morning session as the team headed to their lunch break, and the action resumed at 4pm. Overall, race pace has improved for the Spaniard who is feeling more and more comfortable on the RC16, and he also felt very positive about the electronics after another day of experience on the machine. Acosta will have one more day on Thursday to finalize his six day-testing program in Sepang. Let’s keep the good vibes for one more!

The first day back to school is never the easiest one, and it was the case on day 1 for Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Augusto Fernandez who struggled a bit to find the feeling on his RC16. Things slightly improved for the number 37 on Wednesday as he went under the 1’59, with a lap in 1’58.915 early into the day. The Spaniard continued his search for a better feeling in general, as he tried different settings, still using the carbon chassis. The feeling improved, and there were positives to take from this second day on track after fifty laps of hard work to get the progress going.  A crash at around 5:30pm put an end to his day, but the third and final one awaits him on Thursday as he aims to make a step and head to Qatar next week with a clearer vision on the directions to take for the season. The action will be back at 10:00 local time tomorrow.

Pedro Acosta 

Position: 8th

Time: 1’57.726

Laps: 52

“Just like yesterday, the lap time was not our main target, but it is obviously very good to finish the day half a second faster than day 1. We improved our pace, I am also getting accustomed to the electronics, and I understand everything a bit more in general and my feedback when I arrive at the box is also getting more complete as days go by. This is a good feeling in general. The other riders are very experienced and are a lot faster, but remember that it is my third time in Malaysia. Considering this, my pace is very good, and I would say that we are on our way!”

Augusto Fernandez

Position: 20th

Time: 1’58.915

Laps: 50

“We continued to try different things, different settings so I could feel comfortable on the bike, in addition to working on the aerodynamics. We have improved compared to yesterday, but we are still too slow. I ended the day with a late crash with just half an hour to go. This is not an easy test for us, nor an easy start to 2024, but we have pointed out the issues, so we know what we have to do tomorrow.”

More, from a press release issued by Trackhouse Racing:

Trackhouse Racing – Sepang Test: Day 2

Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia:

Track length: 3.44 miles / 5.54 kilometers

Air Temperature: 89.6°F / 32°C  

Track Temperature: 125.6°F / 52°C  

America’s MotoGP Team completes its second day on track at the opening MotoGP test of 2024. Today with the #88 Miguel Oliveira and in the absence of Raul Fernandez, following his withdrawal from the action after crashing heavily yesterday, the #25 piloted by Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori.

#88 Miguel Oliveira – spent the day working the Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP 24 through a program of set-up adjustments, electronic updates and further aero configurations.

Completed: 56 Laps – 192.9 miles / 310.4 kilometers

Best lap: 1’58.549 (Pos 19th)

Top speed: 207.1 mph / 333.3 kmh

“It was a long day. We had short stints and were trying a lot of things just to get a better understanding of the bike. Finally, to sum up the end of the day; I’m not having a lot of feeling at the moment and a bit of a hard time to understand how I can push and go faster. But anyway, I think I gave good feedback in the garage. We sit down tonight and look what we can improve for tomorrow. For sure, one of the most important points for me with this bike was the corner speed and that’s where I’m losing the most time. We are getting into that. Right now, the important thing is to know how to go fast because we have a good lap from Aleix (Espargaro). In terms of pace, we are not so far off, but we didn’t get a real good the time attack, so we miss around a second to the front.”

 
WILCO ZEELENBERG, TEAM MANAGER

“We tried many things throughout this second day. We are not happy with the lap times yet but, saying that, it means we need to work more to find the decent time. It’s great to see that Miguel is enjoying riding the new bike. Of course, it’s always easy to say, we need to be faster. Trying many things to find the right timing to do the time attack is never easy. I’m confident that we will find that quickly. That is very important. I also want to wish all the best to Raul. He is back home and had a disappointing start of the season, but at the same time we are happy that he is not more injured than he could have been. Let’s see how he will come back in Qatar. Meanwhile, we have one more day to go here in Sepang with Miguel.”

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

#SepangTest: Martin & Acosta steal the limelight on Day 1

The 2023 title challenger sets the benchmark as the rookie continues to shine

Tuesday, 06 February 2024

Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin seemed out to lay down a marker on Day 1 of official track action at the Sepang Test, and that he did. The Spaniard fired in an impressive 1:57.951 after only two hours of running on Tuesday morning, which is only half a second adrift of the fastest-ever lap of Sepang. It remained untouched for the remainder of the day.

In hot pursuit came another headline-maker of late: Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Pedro Acosta. The rookie all-but matched his best lap from the Shakedown to take second overall, continuing to impress. Only 0.008 of a second behind Acosta comes 2021 Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) in third, finishing the first day of the test only two tenths adrift of his best lap from the 2023 Malaysian Grand Prix – promising early signs as the Japanese factory look to make leaps forward in 2024.

It was a tougher day for two riders likely to be key title rivals in 2024: reigning World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). Pecco crashed out at Turn 11 on his very first lap of the day, whilst Marquez had to contend with some small technical issues. The #1 ended up 16th and the #93 found a late lap to finish ninth. Still, it’s Day 1 and their focus remains far from time attacks thus far…

Ducati Lenovo, Prima Pramac, Pertamina Enduro VR46 & Gresini

Seven of Ducati’s eight full-time riders hit the track on Tuesday as Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) continues his recovery from a training crash at Portimao, sitting it out until the first race weekend of the year as a precaution. He was replaced by Michele Pirro.

Ducati occupied seven places in the top ten on a positive opening day for the Bologna factory. For Martin, Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), work continued on their 2024 engine, which received rave reviews at the Valencia Test in late November. No sign for the moment of the wildly new aerodynamics package that Gigi Dall’Igna teased at their Official Launch, however, only the updated side fairings seen at the Shakedown.

Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing’s Fabio Di Giannatonio closed out the opening day in fourth, with now-teammate Marco Bezzecchi in eighth despite a late crash at Turn 4 with half an hour left on the clock. Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez was just over half a second adrift in seventh. They’re all focused on adapting to the new-to-them 2023 machine.

Red Bull KTM & Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

As Acosta continued to grab headlines at the sharp end of the timesheets, both Brad Binder and Jack Miller went to work for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing squad, after Dani Pedrosa reportedly did a first run through to wean out the best new parts at the Shakedown. Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was also out on track for the first time in 2024.

Nobody did more laps on Tuesday than Miller, who totalled a dizzying 69. The Austrian factory focused their attentions on electronics and a new exhaust system, as well as some aerodynamic and engine updates as they look to close that gap to Ducati – a smaller task than anyone else as of the end of 2023.

Aprilia & Trackhouse Racing

After not bringing much outwardly new to the Valencia Test, the Noale squad have been busy over the winter with new aero, engine, swingarms and chassis all on show on Tuesday. Maverick Viñales was fastest of the lot with a 1:58.470 to leave himself sixth on Day 1, with Aleix Espargaro P13 and Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira in P15.

Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) only managed 21 laps in the end after a highside in the opening 15 minutes of the day. He did get back out on track but then headed for further checks at local hospital.

Monster Energy Yamaha

We saw a few updates from Yamaha at the Shakedown, and they will be pleased to see Quartararo sitting third on the timesheets and new recruit Alex Rins just outside the top ten in 11th after Day 1 of the Sepang Test proper. The Iwata factory’s main focus on the opening day was aero, as well as fine-tuning their new and improved engine. There was also a new tail unit in use, and the marque had Cal Crutchlow joining test duty once again.

Repsol Honda & CASTROL/IDEMITSU Honda LCR

There was a lot going on down at HRC on Tuesday. Brand new swingarms, aero, engines and chassis are just the start of a totally revamped RC213V. And the early signs are positive with Johann Zarco (CSATROL Honda LCR) claiming the final spot inside the top ten on the timesheets. For a completely new bike – with Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) confirming they’d not even brought the 2023 machine to Malaysia – that’s a positive first day. Mir was P14, new teammate Luca Marini P17 and Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) P20.

That’s a wrap on Day 1! There’s more action on Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 local time (UTC+8) until 18:00, so make sure you join us on motogp.com and across social media to get the full lowdown!

More, from a press release issued by Red Bull GASGAS Tech3:

ROOKIE PEDRO ACOSTA SHINES THROUGH DAY 1 OF SEPANG TEST, FERNANDEZ KICKS OFF 2024 CAMPAIGN

The Sepang MotoGP™ Official Test got underway on Tuesday morning at the Sepang International Circuit as the whole MotoGP™ grid joined the action in Malaysia to start preparing for the upcoming 2024 season, which will kick off in Doha, Qatar on March 8-10, 2024. Amongst those who got to reunite with their bikes after two long months, there was Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Augusto Fernandez, officially not a rookie anymore, who got his second campaign in the main class started.

After finishing first overall in the three day-Sepang Shakedown, 2024 sole MotoGP™ rookie Pedro Acosta continued to make the headlines on the opening day of Sepang Test, as he closed the day second fastest rider with a 1’58.220, 0.289 seconds away from 2023 runner-up Jorge Martin. Fabio Quartararo was not far in third with a 1’58.228. The young shark also clocked the fastest speed of the day in 336.4 km/h, tied with Luca Marini and Jorge Martin, in addition to ending the day fastest of anyone in sector 3. Impressive numbers for the nineteen year-old boy, whose main focus today was to try different parts to gather data for the team. Electronics was also on the menu for the young rider, after he felt it was an area which he needed to find more comfort in following Sepang Shakedown.

Officially not a rookie anymore, Augusto Fernandez kicked off his second season with the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 with his first track day of 2024. After two long months without his RC16, Tuesday was more about getting back the feeling. The morning was a bit rough with a small crash which slowed down today’s game plan, but the afternoon offered Fernandez the opportunity to try the 2024 package, with the carbon chassis. He focused on the set up, and admitted feeling better lap after lap in the second half of the day. After sixty-four laps, he closed the first day with a 1’59.543 (lap 63). The preparation for 2024 continues on Wednesday in Sepang as a second day of testing awaits the MotoGP™ class.

Pedro Acosta

Position: 2nd

Time: 1’58.220

Laps: 60

“Even if we did a good lap time in the end, it was not our main focus today, but we orientated ourselves more towards trying different parts and settings. It was a good day, because we improved our pace, and also the way I am riding with used tyres, which is a really important point for the races. I had some parts I was requested to try, so we got on with them, did a couple of laps to get the data in. It was nice to be able to get some work done for the team, and help as much as I could.”

Augusto Fernandez

Position: 21st

Time: 1’59.543

Laps: 64

“It was not the first day we were dreaming of unfortunately. We had a game plan to follow, but we lost a bit of time in the morning. In the afternoon, we tried the new bike with the new chassis, and that’s when I started to recover a bit, get the feeling back again, but I was pretty slow all day. We have things clear for tomorrow, we know what our package should be for the second day to be at a good pace, so I am looking forward to continuing the work with the team.”

More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:

Repsol Honda Team continue work at the Sepang Test

Joan Mir and Luca Marini were joined by the entirety of the MotoGP World Championship in Malaysia, the duo ending in 14th and 17th respectively on the factory Honda RC213V machines.

Having already finished a busy two days of on track action during the Shakedown, the Repsol Honda Team were back out for another three days of riding. Conditions remained stable throughout the day with an extended lunch break allowing the majority of MotoGP riders to avoid the worst of the Malaysian heat. Continuing on with a refined testing plan based on the Shakedown saw the pairing of Joan Mir and Luca Marini complete 81 laps.

Mir finished the day as the fastest of the two riders thanks to a best time of 1’58.741, set on lap 42 of 43. The #36 and his team spent Tuesday experimenting with the setup of his 2024 Honda RC213V, continuing to gain valuable information for the upcoming season. Tomorrow, the second day of the official test, offers a chance to further improve his feeling and lap time.

Meanwhile, Marini continued to quickly adapt to life on the Honda and ended just 0.3s off Mir’s best time. Improving his feeling with each and every exit, the Italian remained content with the work he and the team have managed to achieve in the two days of the Shakedown and today. With a number of items to test and work through, there’s still plenty on the agenda for the newest Repsol Honda Team rider.

Two more days of running are still ahead for the Repsol Honda Team as the Sepang Test continues at pace.

Joan Mir

14TH  1’58.741

“It’s only the first day so I am staying quite calm about everything as there’s still a lot more to come. We were able to improve Sector 3 and 4, our pace is good there. We were faster in the first half of the lap during the Shakedown. Today was about trying some new things and because of that it was the first day I think that we didn’t improve the bike. This can happen when you’re trying a lot of things. As I said, it is not a big problem because we will be back on track tomorrow. Tonight we need to compare our data.”

Luca Marini

17TH  1’58.969

“We have many things to try but everyone is working very hard and well. I am really satisfied with how the first days have gone because every time I get on the bike the feeling is better. It’s an enjoyable moment, learning the new bike, the new team and the new culture. We found something better in the last few days but of course there is still more to do. The step since Valencia has been good and everyone is working together well. The objective is to keep putting all the pieces together because there are many new things and improvements.”

More, from a press release issued by Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team:

GOOD START FOR THE PERTAMINA ENDURO VR46 RACING TEAM AT SEPANG

First day of the official MotoGP testing session with Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi immediately among the fastest in P4 and P8

Sepang (Malaysia), February 6th 2024 – For the first time on the track on the yellow Fluo Stream Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi are immediately among the fastest guys at the end of the first day of the MotoGP official testing session at the Sepang circuit with the fourth and eighth overall lap times.

For Fabio a first three days of work in Malaysia (first race in Qatar next 8/10 March), to get familiar with the new Team, the bike and the technicians. An immediately productive morning, with the Top3 at lunchtime, and then a best flying lap of 1’58.325 and 49 laps completed.

Among the very first riders on the track at 10.00 AM, Marco who signs a good 1’58.605 in the afternoon. Despite a crash in the penultimate run, at turn 4, fortunately without consequences, he closes the session with 54 laps.

MARCO BEZZECCHI – 72

First of all I’m really happy to be back on track with the new colors of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team. The day wasn’t bad, I did a good job with the whole Team and we managed to fix some aspects of the bike. In terms of riding, at Valencia test, I wasn’t perfect and we needed to make some steps forward. I didn’t try the flying lap, but the pace wasn’t bad and I’m satisfied. Tomorrow we will continue in this direction, we will make some other changes and then the first time attack awaits us also to understand our real value.
 

FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO – 49

I’m very happy, I was really looking forward to back on track. The sensations are really good, I immediately achieved my goal for the day. I wanted to start from the feeling I had in Valencia and start making a step. We succeeded immediately and we closed the session in crescendo with the entire Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team. The atmosphere is excellent, I’m already faster than the last year and tomorrow we will continue working on the front of the Ducati. Overall, a good first day of school.

More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:

Positive First Sepang Test Day for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

Sepang (Malaysia), 6th February 2024

SEPANG MOTOGP OFFICIAL TEST

Following the Sepang Shakedown Test and the 2024 MEYM Season Launch event, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team got back into action at the Sepang International Circuit today. Both Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins completed 46 laps, ending the first of three days of the Sepang MotoGP Official Test in 3rd and 11th place.             

3rd F. QUARTARARO 1’58.228 / 46 LAPS

11th Á. RINS 1’58.716 / 46 LAPS

Today, new Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammates Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins kicked off the three-day Sepang MotoGP Official Test in Malaysia. The riders got straight to work, assessing electronics and settings tweaks. They ended in 3rd and 11th place respectively in the Day-1 timesheets.

Eager to make a strong start to the 2024 season, Quartararo got to work this morning with a game plan. He was going to dedicate Day 1 solely to fine-tuning electronics and settings. He rode 46 laps over the course of the first day and set a best time of 1’58.228s on lap 36/46 to take third place, 0.277s from the top.

Having spent the winter break working on the rehabilitation of his leg, Rins was reaping the rewards at the Shakedown Test and also today at the Sepang Test. He had a positive day at the office. He rode 46 laps over the course of eight hours of high-temperature testing. He set a best time of 1’58.716s on lap 18/46 and, despite not doing a time-attack, still placed 11th, 0.765s from the top.

FABIO QUARTARARO

I felt great! Basically, today we didn’t really test new items. I tested a lot of electronics and settings of the bike. From the outside you can’t really see what I tested, but it was a positive day. Tomorrow we will work in a similar way, and I think that it’s quite important for us to stay focused because I feel that we have the potential, but we still have to find it. The plan for tomorrow is the same as for today: try to find the best electronics set-up and try to also find the best setting of the bike. This is changing because of the new aero, we have to adjust the balance of the bike. But I’m feeling pretty happy about how we are working in the team.

ÁLEX RINS

I’m quite grateful for the work we are doing. We are testing many things. We have also tested in the Shakedown, two full days of work. And the way of working is quite nice – I like it, for sure! I’m getting used to the way they work, and they are getting to know the way I work. Today we tested many things on the electronics side, working on the really used tyre to understand how the Yamaha works, and if I can adapt the bike a bit to my riding style. So I’m quite happy. Let’s see tomorrow. Tomorrow we’ll have more chance to improve and to test more things, because today we only used one set of new tyres to test the items. So, everything is under control.

More, from a press release issued by Trackhouse Racing:

Trackhouse Racing – Sepang Test: Day 1

Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia:

America’s MotoGP Team completes its first day of running on track at the opening MotoGP test of 2024.

#88 Miguel Oliveira – spent the day getting comfortable on the Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP 24 and testing a series of aero developments.

Completed: 54 Laps – 185.9 miles / 299.2 kilometers

Best lap: 1’58.750 (Pos 15th)

Top speed: 207.1 mph / 333.3 kmh

“It was a good day. I was very excited to get the tests going because I didn’t ride for a long time. I think everyone on the grid was excited to start. We did what we had to do; get the first impressions of the bike, start to ride it, try a few things, nothing crazy. We didn’t touch the bike too much. Some things work, some things didn’t, which is normal for a new bike. Immediately, what we feel is a lot of potential, but we still need to put everything together and balance the bike a lot better. The aerodynamic side is quite a bit different, so we need to adjust that. Overall, I felt good, although I had a small crash where I hurt my shoulder plate again a little bit, but it went much better throughout the afternoon and I could go through the complete plan that we had scheduled. Tomorrow we face another long day.”

#25 Raul Fernandez – suffered a massive high-side crash on only his 3rd lap of the day aboard his Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP 23. Although he managed some running later in the day, medical advice means he will take no further part in the test and flies home, to Spain, to concentrate on recovery for the next test in Qatar, starting on February, 19.

Completed: 21 Laps – 72.3 miles / 118.4 kilometers

Best lap: 2’00.120 (Pos 22nd)

Top speed: 206.5 mph / 332.3 kmh

“First of all, I would like to say sorry to Aprilia and our Trackhouse Racing MotoGP Team. This morning in my first laps I had a big crash because of the track conditions. Honestly, I didn’t expect that coming. But because of that crash, I won’t be able to continue this test here in Sepang. I feel really, really, bad because we won’t have the chance to continue to understand the new bike better and to learn how it feels. For me, it’s just going to be important now to recover well and to rest. To ride the bike like this is not safe for me, so I need to focus on my recovery and try to be at 100% in the Qatar test in order to do all the work we planned to do here. Again, I want to say sorry to Aprilia and the team.”

WILCO ZEELENBERG, TEAM MANAGER

“The first day of testing in 2024 is done. The weather was nice, but we have some bad news. Raul crashed this morning quite hard on a slippery race track with good feeling, but he hurt his hip quite badly. It looks like nothing is majorly damaged, but there was a huge impact on his pelvis and on a bone, that makes it better for him not to test anymore, but to recover and make sure that he is well in Qatar. Another impact could be a disaster. Miguel meanwhile did a lot of things. He tried many parts and pieces for the 2024 bike. He is happy with his feeling with the bike, but of course, we always want more. He did 54 laps and is ready to continue testing tomorrow.”