Finally, the wait is (almost) over. After the winter break, the most exciting sport on earth is ready to burst back into life as the annual Sepang Shakedown Test beckons, with crucial mileage set to be ground out across three days in Malaysia before the Official Test gets going a few days later.
WHAT IS THE SHAKEDOWN?
If you’re a new fan and unfamiliar with what the Shakedown Test is, then don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Primarily, the Shakedown is in place for factory test riders to give the bikes and equipment a good run out after two months of zero or limited track action. If there are teething issues to fix, then it saves factories needing to do this during the Official Test and lose critical track time.
The Shakedown also gives MotoGP™ rookies more time on track before the Official Test begins, giving them an extra leg up heading into a hugely important pre-season. Moreover, due to the concession rules, the Shakedown currently allows Honda and Yamaha to utilise their unlimited test days allowance to try and bridge the performance gap by having their full-time riders on track alongside their test riders. This means we'll see the likes of Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins, Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller taking part in some of the Shakedown, as well as the Official Tests.
THE ROOKIES
2025 sees three fresh faces enter the fray, the first of which is Moto2 World Champion Ai Ogura. The Japanese star, who joins Trackhouse MotoGP for his first premier class chapter, became the first rider from his country to win a Grand Prix title since 2009 last year, while also becoming the first former Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup rider to clinch a World Championship.
Gresini Racing’s Fermin Aldeguer joins MotoGP as much-talked-about talent, and the 19-year-old impressed many back at the Barcelona Test by sitting just 1.7s away from his pace-setting teammate Alex Marquez. Expectations are high for the eight-time Moto2 race winner as he gets to grips with last year’s Championship winning Ducati – the GP24.
The other rookie is Thailand’s finest – Somkiat Chantra. The loveable Moto2 race winner is the first-ever rider from his country to race in MotoGP as he looks to get comfortable on his Idemitsu Honda LCR machine before heading home for the second Official Test and, of course, Round 1 at the end of February.
THE FACTORIES
As mentioned, every MotoGP factory takes part in the Shakedown. Ducati, KTM, Aprilia and Honda – despite the latter being able to run their full-time riders – will only have a selection of their test riders on track according to the provisional entry list, while Yamaha have opted to be at full strength.
Ducati have their trusted Italian, Michele Pirro, at the controls while KTM will have three-time World Champion Dani Pedrosa on track alongside Pol Espargaro. Aprilia will be utilising Lorenzo Savadori, while Honda are counting on the vast experience of Aleix Espargaro and Takaaki Nakagami.
Feels good to be back at 350kmh! 😜✊ pic.twitter.com/3bOr95oOSC
— Aleix Espargaró (@AleixEspargaro) January 18, 2025
Yamaha, meanwhile, will have six riders putting a shift in across the three days. Monster Energy Yamaha’s Quartararo and Rins will be joined by Prima Pramac’s Miller and Oliveira. In addition, the Iwata factory also have MotoGP™ Legend Andrea Dovizioso and new test rider Augusto Fernandez at their disposal.
WHEN WILL THE FULL GRID BE ON TRACK?
The Official Sepang Test, which takes place from the 5th to the 7th of February, will see every MotoGP rider return to track action. Then, a week later in Thailand on the 12th and 13th, the Buriram Test sees the full grid complete the final two days of pre-season before we get prepped for the opening race weekend of the season at the end of February.