Ahead of the Sepang Test, which will officially start the 2020 MotoGP™ World Championship on February 7th, all three of this year’s rookies will exit pitlane for the first time this year at the Sepang shakedown test. Repsol Honda Team’s Alex Marquez, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder and Iker Lecuona will be on track alongside test riders from all six factories.
For the first time ever, MotoGP™ rookies are permitted to take part in the Sepang shakedown test after the Grand Prix Commission decided in 2019 to allow the debutants further time to adapt to the premier class.
Furthermore, five-time World Champion and newly announced Yamaha Test rider Jorge Lorenzo will be in Sepang for the shakedown test and will perform his first laps on a Yamaha in nearly four years.
The reigning Moto2™ World Champion, Marquez, will ride at the opening two days in Malaysia, February 2nd and 3rd, before flying to Jakarta, Indonesia, for the Repsol Honda Team launch on February 4th. Working for HRC alongside Marquez will be Test rider Stefan Bradl after the German got the chance to try 2020’s RC213V at Jerez last week.
Working alongside Binder and Lecuona in the KTM camp will be MotoGP™ Legend and Test rider for the Austrian factory, Dani Pedrosa. After Ducati unveiled their Desmosedici GP20 in Bologna, Michele Pirro will be the first to lap in the factory’s new colours.
Bradley Smith will have the chance to test the 2020 Aprilia RS-GP 20 for the very first time after the bike wasn’t available for the Valencia or Jerez tests in 2019. Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli, meanwhile, will continue to develop Suzuki’s MotoGP™ title challenger.