Homework for MotoGP Sepang test pending

Although the 2023 preseason did not officially start on November 8 at the Cheste circuit, with testing dropped to one day, the 2023 officially begins at 3am this Friday (peninsular time) at the Sepang circuit . After a shakedown appetizer with the testers and the lone rookie, the 22 official drivers on the grid will begin the task of testing and accepting or discarding the elements that the engineers have worked on over the winter.

For champion brands like Yamaha and Honda, it is important to try to get closer to the almost perfect machine developed by Ducati especially for the second part of the campaign in 2023. In the best campaign written by Borgo Panigale, they won 12 wins. out of 20 possible, 32 podiums out of 60 possible and in the last 26 races there was always a Ducati on the podium. Having eight drivers on the payroll also makes things easier – only the rookie Di Giannantonio was left without adding a podium, but in return he contributed an unexpected pole position – and this 2023 will repeat they

Exam schedules

friday
from 3 am to 11 am (Spanish peninsular time)
from 11 am to 11:15 am start the rehearsal
Saturday
from 3 am to 11 am (Spanish peninsular time)
from 11 am to 11:15 am start the rehearsal
Sunday
from 3 am to 11 am (Spanish peninsular time)
from 11 am to 11:15 am start the rehearsal
* There is no live television and it can only be followed in the timing of the official motogp website

Technical regulation changes

There are two major changes in the technical regulations and it’s time to update them, especially Ducati, which has been a pioneer: in terms of aerodynamics, the lower appendages attached to the swingarm must be 35mm from the ground instead of 15mm. And the holeshot system that allows the height of the motorcycle to be changed, the use of the device on the front side is prohibited, it can only be used at the starts, but in any case during the race, and from 2024 the one that affects the running behind.

Promising shakedown for Yamaha

Before the official pilots debut their 2023 this Friday, the shakedown for test pilots is held from February 5 to 7 and in which only the only rookie in the category, Augusto Fernández, can participate by regulation . The rain ruined a good part of the test work of the new things that the engineers made during the winter, but some conclusions can be drawn.

Especially at Yamaha, where tester Cal Crutchlow saw a leap in quality for the M1 with an engine that offered higher speeds. Quartararo did not miss the action from the sidelines on the final day of the Shakedown and saw how the British marked 335 km/h at the top, some 5 km/h more than he achieved in the last GP. They arrived at the test with an updated chassis, aerodynamics, rear swingarm and engine, according to Maio Meregalli, team manager of the Yamaha Factory Team.

Crunch time for Honda

Since in 2019 Marc Márquez made magic by putting the rest on a Honda that was not necessarily the best bike on the grid in Asaka, they entered a spiral of results because in the first race of the 2020 pandemic Marc Márquez was seriously injured in the right hand. After a near miss, to the point where his sports career was about to end prematurely, the eight-time world champion has been trying to re-emerge like a phoenix since undergoing his fourth and final surgery in June. Since returning to the track in September, he’s been on the mend, doing everything he can to get back to being the top rider he once was and challenged Honda HRC to do the same on his bike.

Initially, the reaction started with changes in the organizational chart, including the signing of engineers from the competition, and internal reorganization in the Repsol Honda and LCR Honda pits, with the signing of two top riders such as Joan Mir and Alex Rins who that in their favor will not be forgotten by the problems of recent years. But in the Cheste test the alarms sounded again because the new things did not give a great leap in quality. “One step is not enough for me, they have to do two. With what we have here we will not fight for the World Cup,” warned Márquez.

At Ducati, the optimism continues

The advantage that the Italians gained over their direct Japanese rivals was such that they continued to start with an advantage, simply promoting the impressive base they already had, even if they had to read the new technical regulations. Known to Gigi Dall’Igna, the revolutionary will not be released until the next test in Portimao (March 11 and 12) and in Sepang the officials will debut the updated aerodynamics seen on the Pirro during the shakedown as well as the new exhaust.

KTM hid in the shakedown

In the Matighoffen range Dani PedrosaTheir star tester spent the pre-season working on various engine specs and aero updates with a slightly revised front fairing (minus the shark teeth on the sides) as well as the wings. The biggest change is the larger ‘ground effect’ side fairings. Pedrosa decided not to put the transponder on, so there was no time for him during the test and it was great to see him working one day with Binder’s technical team and another with Jack Miller.

Aprilia defines innovation

Aprilia Racing has done something innovative over the front fairing found on Lorenzo Savadori’s RS-GP. The new design of the aerodynamic package is the result of work in the wind tunnel, but as in the case of the other four manufacturers, the new engine is the priority of the pilots.