Reigning Moto2 World Champion Diogo Moreira will enter next week’s Sepang MotoGP official test following notable progress during the recent shakedown sessions. Riding for LCR Honda, Moreira had a slow start on day one, clocking a time of 2 minutes 0.894 seconds, ranking 8th out of 9 riders and trailing by 2.803 seconds.
On Friday, the Brazilian continued tweaking his bike setup and managed to break the two-minute mark for the first time with a 1:59.930 lap, cutting the gap to the leader to 2.022 seconds. Despite the improvement, he remained second to last ahead of only KTM test rider Mika Kallio.
The most significant leap came on the final day, Saturday, when Moreira shaved over 1.5 seconds off his best time during the time attack, achieving a fastest lap of 1:58.338. This effort placed him sixth on the leaderboards, just 1.165 seconds behind Honda’s fastest rider, Aleix Espargaro, and ahead of rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu from Pramac Yamaha for the first time during the tests.
Reflecting on the sessions, Moreira said, “It was a positive test. We learned a lot and tried different setups every lap. On the morning of the final day, I concentrated on my time attack and found good speed. We still need to refine the details and keep working, but we’re eager to begin official testing next week.”
On Sunday, Moreira and the LCR team will reveal the new 2026 Pro Honda livery. The upcoming Sepang MotoGP official test, where Moreira will race alongside the complete premier class lineup for the first time since his debut in Valencia last November, is scheduled from February 3rd to 5th.
Fan Take: Moreira’s steady improvement signals a promising rookie season ahead, bringing fresh excitement to the premier class. His progress underscores the rising talent in MotoGP, promising tighter competition and thrilling battles for fans in the upcoming season.
