Yamaha V4 Tops Sepang MotoGP Shakedown Day 2 for First Time

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Yamaha’s new V4 engine achieved a landmark breakthrough at the 2026 Sepang MotoGP Shakedown Test, topping the MotoGP timesheets for the first time after Jack Miller set the fastest lap on Friday at the Sepang International Circuit.

Miller posted a best time of 1m57.908s in the final hour of day two aboard the Pramac Yamaha YZR-M1, edging KTM test rider Pol Espargaro by just 0.025s. The result marked a significant symbolic moment for Yamaha, whose V4 project is still in its early public testing phase.

Like Monster Yamaha riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins, Miller skipped day one of the Shakedown. However, his immediate pace on day two underlined the competitiveness of Yamaha’s revised technical direction.

KTM and Honda Remain Within Striking Distance

Pol Espargaro once again demonstrated KTM’s consistency by finishing second on the RC16, while Honda test rider Aleix Espargaro completed the top three, just 0.158s off the benchmark. The Honda RC213V continued to show stable early-test form under Aleix’s guidance.

Quartararo ended the day fourth, only 0.227s behind Miller, reinforcing Yamaha’s strong collective showing. Team-mate Alex Rins followed in fifth, with KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa sixth, keeping the Austrian manufacturer firmly in the leading group.

Yamaha Momentum Builds Across the Field

WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu placed seventh on the Pramac Yamaha, continuing a promising adaptation to MotoGP machinery. His gap of 0.897s to the top remained within the competitive window typical of Shakedown conditions.

Ducati’s programme remained focused on validation work rather than headline pace, with test rider Michele Pirro finishing eighth aboard the GP26. Yamaha’s test operation, represented by Fernandez/Dovizioso, placed ninth.

Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori completed the top ten, while LCR Honda rookie Diogo Moreira improved on his day-one performance but still ended 2.022s adrift of Miller.

KTM tester Mika Kallio finished more than six seconds from the fastest time, amid speculation that he was running a different KTM engine configuration as part of longer-term development work.

Context and What Comes Next

Although Shakedown lap times are not directly comparable to official testing or race weekends, day two provided a clearer early picture of manufacturer direction. Yamaha’s V4 breakthrough, KTM’s consistency, and Honda’s steady progress set the stage for more representative benchmarks in the coming days.

The third and final day of the Shakedown takes place on Saturday, ahead of the Official Sepang MotoGP Test scheduled for February 3–5, when all teams and full-time riders will join the action.

2026 Sepang MotoGP Shakedown Test – Day 2 (FINAL)