Acosta ends shakedown on top ahead of official MotoGP test

Pedro Acosta edges out Pol Espargaro to end Sepang Shakedown ahead of the first official MotoGP test for 2024 season.

The curtain has been drawn on the 2024 MotoGP Sepang Shakedown Test and ending the three days in Malaysia fastest was our class rookie – Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3). The Spaniard set a superb 1:58.189 on the final day to lead Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) by 0.066s, with CASTROL Honda LCR’s new recruit Johann Zarco completing the top three.

Acosta dazzles

Despite a couple of small crashes on the final day – one in the dry at Turn 11 and one in the wet at Turn 15 – Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 and KTM will head into the Official Sepang Test buzzing with how the Shakedown has gone. The #31’s time would have placed him P5 in last year’s Sepang Test standings, and there are still three more days to go. Impressive.

On the final day, Acosta was lapping with KTM’s carbon chassis on both of his GASGAS bikes, indicating this is the direction they’ll be heading in for the season. It will be interesting to see what new parts Acosta will test on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Malaysia, as he’s joined by teammate Augusto Fernandez and the two Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Brad Binder and Jack Miller.

And speaking of the orange squad, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro said in a video the team posted on social media – see below – that he feels “very good” on the bike after a winter of training sees the Test Rider come into 2024 in a much better physical condition. Espargaro also comments on how well Acosta is adapting to the bike, as the Austrian factory appear to be in a good position ahead of the Sepang Test.

Aero game stepped up ahead of Sepang Test

As mentioned in the previous two days of Shakedown action, the factories have ramped up the aerodynamics game in 2024. You can see KTM’s front fender wing, Aprilia’s ‘Batmobile’ rear wing, Honda’s upgraded ‘stegosaurus’ rear wing and Ducati’s additional ground effect side panel fairing updates HERE, with the respective test riders running all of these additions on the final day.

How did Honda and Yamaha get on? 

On Day 3, Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) was spotted testing a different swingarm, while Yamaha Test Rider Cal Crutchlow ventured out with a new, longer exhaust and an updated aero body.

Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) finished the Shakedown in P4, with Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) the second fastest HRC rider in P6 – just behind Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Test Rider Dani Pedrosa. The progress of the two Japanese factories will be closely monitored at the Sepang Test, and you’ll be able to hear the first thoughts of the riders from both factories on motogp.com ahead of those three days.

Here’s how Day 1 panned out

Here’s how Day 2 panned out

[Note: The story is as per press release]