MotoGP, Sepang Tests: Aprilia and KTM officials on deck from the Shakedown

The tests of Sepang will begin for official drivers on February 6. A return to school which will nevertheless be brought forward for residents of manufacturers benefiting from technical concession points. At Aprilia and at KTM, so let's get started without delay...

The 2019 Sepang MotoGP Shakedown test will take place a little later than usual, from February 1-3. A period outside the winter testing ban which runs from December 1st to January 31st. As a result, MotoGP riders from manufacturers with technical concessions, KTM and Aprilia, are eligible to participate in this week's preliminaries as well as official testing for all test and racing riders from February 6-8.

It will be recalled that the concessions broadly concern manufacturers who have not finished on the podium several times in MotoGP. This feature includes additional private tests with the pilots. “ We have six days of testing at Sepang, so I hope I can stay 100% fit ”said the local star Hafizh Syahrin , whose Tech3 team moved from Yamaha to KTM this season. “ Six days can be a long time, but it's good that we understand the bike better and test all the parts so we're ready to race ". A " ready to race » which is precisely the slogan of the Mattighofen factory!

His teammate Miguel Oliveira as well as KTM riders, Pol Espargaro et Johann zarco, are also expected to start their 2019 year with the Shakedown. But if Syahrin looks set to try and ride all six days, the physical demands of Sepang's searing heat mean most official KTM and Aprilia riders are only planning a partial appearance to preserve themselves for the main test.

zarco, for example, is likely not to participate in the opening day, while Aprilia told crash.net that the new test pilot Bradley Smith will pilot days one and two. Andrea Iannone et Aleix Espargaró will do tricks on the third day.

Honda, Ducati, Yamaha and Suzuki are not eligible for technical concessions and can therefore only use their test riders in a Shakedown which will otherwise not be subject to official timing.