After a two-month winter break, MotoGP bikes will return to the track this week for the first official test of the year. While the entire grid won’t be in action until the main Sepang test, all five manufacturers will be present in some capacity for what is officially labelled the ‘Sepang shakedown’.
Schedule for the Sepang Shakedown Test
The shakedown in Sepang will take place on 29-31 January (Thursday-Saturday). The track will remain open from 10:00 to 18:00 local time, giving riders up to eight hours per day to evaluate their new bikes. For those in Europe, the test will essentially begin in the middle of the night and end just before midday.
| Local (MYT) | GMT | CET | ET | PT | JST | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | 10:00 | 02:00 | 03:00 | 21:00 (prev day) | 18:00 (prev day) | 11:00 |
| Finish | 18:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | 05:00 | 02:00 | 19:00 |
Which riders will take part in the Shakedown Test?
The Sepang shakedown has a key difference compared to the official test days that follow: not all full-time MotoGP riders are eligible to participate. Only the following may take part:
- Riders making their MotoGP debut in 2026
- Test riders for each manufacturer
- Official riders from manufacturers currently in Group D under the MotoGP concessions system, the category with the most technical advantages
Following Honda’s move to Group C at the end of the 2025 season, Yamaha is the only brand currently able to run all of its riders, including full-time racers, in the shakedown. Other manufacturers will instead field their test riders or any rookies they have on the entry list, as per the regulations.
How to follow the MotoGP Shakedown Test at Sepang
Like the ongoing Formula 1 shakedown in Barcelona, the MotoGP Sepang event is a largely private test session. That means there will be no live television broadcast or a live timing feed provided by MotoGP (unlike the full official Sepang test from 3-5 February).
However, teams and the championship will still release information throughout the test days, and Autosport will bring you all the times and insights at the end of the test to keep you updated.
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– The Autosport.com Team
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