The Shakedown at Sepang, preliminary to the official tests on the same Malaysian track which will begin this Friday with the starting drivers, was full of new features. Everyone went with its new fairing and its inspirations inherited from Formula 1 in an aerodynamic field which turned from new wind to real tornado taking away all the certainties of the past in MotoGP. At Yamaha, it was on the engine side that the expectations lay and given the happy faces displayed at the end of the year, it seems that something happened on the in-line four-cylinder. Fabio Quartararo went there for his visit, which caused a reaction from the man who spared no effort during the last three days, Cal Crutchlow.
Aprilia first, Yamaha then and KTM finally revealed in recent days to Sepang aerodynamic solutions that have profoundly changed their models of yesteryear. Ducati had opened the way on this theme and the brand assures that we have not yet seen anything of what it has prepared. The reveal will take place from February 10 to 12 when testing with the titular drivers begins.
Sepang: “ Ahhh, my coach has arrived »
Still, the F1 contributions are not denied at Aprilia et KTM. They are even claimed for the Austrians via a Red Bull brand that no longer needs to be presented. On the Japanese side, Yamaha seems to have worked seriously this winter while Honda, for the moment, seems to be suffering from blank page syndrome. If this were true this weekend, Marc Marquez would not fail to give voice, as he did during the last 2022 tests in Valencia.
Waiting, fabio quartararo went to greet his Yamaha troops. A visit that the inimitable Cal Crutchlow commented: “ Ahhh, my coach has arrived ". He was also greeted enthusiastically by the Japanese. See you now on Friday to have the verdict of the Frenchman, who assured during the winter break that he would only need the first five laps at Sepang on his Yamaha to judge his progress for the season MotoGP 2023 ...
