Acosta ends Saturday on prime as the ultimate day of Shakedown testing concludes.
The curtain got here down on the 2024 MotoGP™ Sepang Shakedown with rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Crimson Bull GASGAS Tech3) on prime, with the quantity 31 content material to proceed making headlines. An excellent 1:58.189 on the ultimate day noticed him lead check rider Pol Espargaro (Crimson Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing) by 0.066s, with CASTROL Honda LCR’s new recruit Johann Zarco finishing the highest three.
Acosta dazzlesDespite a few small crashes on the ultimate day – one within the dry at Flip 11 and one within the moist at Flip 15 – Acosta solely continues to impress. His time would have positioned him P5 in final 12 months’s Sepang Take a look at general standings, and there are nonetheless three extra days to go in that occasion subsequent week.
On the ultimate day, Acosta was lapping with KTM’s carbon chassis on each of his GASGAS bikes, indicating this could be the route they’ll be heading in for the season. Will probably be fascinating to see what new components Acosta will check on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Malaysia, as he’s joined by teammate Augusto Fernandez and the 2 Crimson Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing riders Brad Binder and Jack Miller.
And talking of the orange squad, Crimson Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing’s Pol Espargaro stated in a video the group posted on social media that he feels “excellent” on the bike after a winter of coaching sees the Take a look at Rider come into 2024 in a significantly better bodily situation. Espargaro additionally feedback on how properly Acosta is adapting to the bike.
Aero sport stepped up forward of Sepang TestAs we noticed throughout the earlier two days of Shakedown motion, the factories have ramped up the aerodynamics sport in 2024. You may see KTM’s entrance fender wing, Aprilia’s ‘Batmobile’ rear wing and Ducati’s further floor impact aspect panel fairing updates HERE, with the respective check riders working all of those additions on the ultimate day. Honda’s upgraded ‘stegosaurus’ rear wing could be seen beneath.
Honda and Yamaha: all arms on deckOn Day 3, Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) was noticed testing a distinct swingarm, and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Workforce) has confirmed that Honda’s 2023 bike isn’t in Sepang. Honda are specializing in the package deal that they had on the Valencia Take a look at and on a brand new prototype they’ve obtained. A “change in route”.
Zarco was the quickest Honda on Saturday, forward of Mir after which Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Workforce) and Nakagami, peppered all through the highest ten.
In the meantime, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Power Yamaha MotoGP™) completed the Shakedown in P4, whereas new teammate Alex Rins was a tenth off him in P7. When it comes to novelties, Yamaha Take a look at Rider Cal Crutchlow ventured out with a brand new, longer exhaust and an up to date aero physique.
Extra to come back?For Ducati and Aprilia, repped on the Shakedown by Michele Pirro and Lorenzo Savadori, respectively, there have been the beforehand talked about aero updates on apparent present, and the occasion noticed loads of prep for the remainder of their riders to hitch the fray on the Sepang Take a look at.
That may embrace reigning Champion Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Workforce) assembly his new steed forward of one other title defence marketing campaign, and 2023 challenger Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing). It’s additionally one other likelihood to see Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) heading out, though that’s not on a 2024-spec bike…In the meantime, alongside Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia, there’s additionally an entire novelty of a distinct sort within the Noale camp as Trackhouse Racing put together to land in MotoGP™, with Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez seemingly quickly to look of their new colors on monitor for the primary time.
That’s a wrap on one of the vital star-studded Shakedowns we’ve seen for a while. Subsequent up it’s the official #SepangTest from the sixth to the eighth of February, the place we’ll see everybody again out and again in enterprise forward of their assault on 2024.
BEST LAPS BY RIDER: DAY 31 Pedro Acosta (Crimson Bull GASGAS Tech3) 1:58.1892 Pol Espargaro (Crimson Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing) +0.0663 Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) +0.2114 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Power Yamaha MotoGP™) +0.2495 Dani Pedrosa (Crimson Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing) + 0.2896 Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Workforce) +0.3287 Alex Rins (Monster Power Yamaha MotoGP™) + 0.3548 Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Workforce) +0.7469 Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Manufacturing unit Racing) +0.79410 Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) +0.88311 Michele Pirro (Ducati Lenovo Workforce) +1.14112 Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing) +1.81113 Stefan Bradl (Honda Take a look at Workforce) +2.910
