Top five talking points from 2023 MotoGP shakedown at Sepang

A shakedown test does not include official riders and is only attended by the factory’s test riders. In fact, it’s to make sure the machines are ready to go in order for the factories to get the most out of the official three-day test which kicks off over February 10 to 12. But because of GasGas Factory Racing Tech3’s Augusto Fernandez’ rookie status, he was granted access to the two-day test as a way of further familiarising himself with the extra power and superior braking of a MotoGP machine.

It was also the first time the Spaniard was able to sample a MotoGP bike in wet conditions. The 25-year-old rookie would have gone to sleep that opening night pretty chuffed with himself, having finished the opening day second in the time sheets after three-time GP winner Cal Crutchlow (Factory Yamaha) after posting 28 laps. And while a shakedown test is not about lap times, it still must have felt pretty good.

Throwing in a 2m01.146s, Crutchlow ended the opening day of the shakedown test at the top of the timesheets. But more importantly, the 2023-spec YZR-M1 managed a 5km/h increase in top speed compared to Fabio Quartararo’s best at the 2022 Sepang GP. Of course, there are far too many variables to discern whether Yamaha has made the gains it needs to put in a serious bid to take the title from Ducati in 2023, but it certainly bodes well for its two-rider team.

Don’t forget the once-dominant Yamaha factory is now the only manufacturer in MotoGP with just a single two-rider team. And with just two riders collecting data throughout the year for Yamaha to base its development decisions on, compared to Ducati’s eight, Crutchlow’s work has never been more important.

Crutchlow did quip he had a list of parts “as long as his legs”, and given he’s a small fellow, let’s hope he’s joking. He was joined by Japanese test riders Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Kohta Nozane on the third and final day.

With ex-MotoGP rider Jonas Folger joining Dani Pedrosa and Mika Kallio in the KTM test rider field at Sepang, KTM means business. Like Aprilia and Ducati, the Austrian firm looks to have focused plenty of attention on its aerodynamic package over the break, with the firm’s trademark shark-tooth top fairing disappearing on the third day of the test, which remained dry.

But it perhaps wasn’t all as it seemed for KTM, because with Dani Pedrosa planning a wildcard appearance during the 2023 season, he spent a good time of the test with his transponder disconnected in a bid to keep his lap times on the quiet. On paper at least, the top-performing KTM was Folger, with fifth on day two.   

Ducati’s highly effective test rider Michele Pirro was the only rider to post a sub-2min lap at Sepang, putting in a quick 1m59.803s after 51 laps during the dry final day. Looking after all of Ducati’s shakedown responsibilities in Sepang, Pirro was spotted with a new fairing as the brand continues to lead the aerodynamics race, including a new bellypan that was sporting some new side winglets or air intakes.

And as well as trying couple of different exhausts, it was clear the Italian firm was using the three days for more than just readying machinery for its eight riders using Ducati machinery.

Honda is looking to make gains wherever it can, both on and off the circuit. As well as successfully poaching Suzuki Ecstar’s outgoing team manager Ken Kuwachi, official factory test rider Stefan Bradl was testing at both the recent shakedown test at Sepang as well as the official WorldSBK test held at Jerez recently.

While we obviously can’t see any internal changes to the engine, a new chassis and swingarm has been on Bradl’s priority list of test parts during the last couple of weeks. And the hugely successful Ken Kuwachi has been on the ground at both Jerez and Sepang too.

Bradl ended the opening day fourth quickest, ninth fastest on the rain-affected second day and sixth on the dry final day.

After many hours spent in the wind tunnel, Aprilia’s biggest gains over the festive season, visually at least, have been in aerodynamics. With just one test rider in Lorenzo Savadori present for the two-day shakedown, the former Italian MotoGP rider was a busy man as Aprilia turned up with no less than RS-GP machines.

With an all-new satellite squad to look after in the form of the RNF Aprilia squad of Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez, as well as official factory riders in Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales, there was plenty to get through. Savadori was fifth at the end of the opening day, fourth at the end of the second and fifth on the third.