KTM debuted with a different program for its two factory riders in the Malaysian tests. While Pedro Acosta, 15th overall, focused on some new features, Brad Binder, 13th, simply tried to pick up where he left off last November.
"In the morning, I worked on the chassis configuration. It was shortened, so we'll see what the others say but, personally, I liked it. In the afternoon, the focus was mostly on aerodynamics and racking up laps," Pedro said.
"As usual, Malaysia is tough on the front tires but, overall, I'm quite satisfied, especially in terms of the chassis. As for aerodynamics, we'll continue tomorrow because there's still work to be done."
When asked if he already felt as if he had progressed compared to the 2025 RC16, the Spanish rider replied, "Like I said, there will be a lot of aerodynamics to try out on Wednesday, and I think the morning will be dedicated to that kind of work, so that we can prepare a good package for the afternoon."
Although the Shark's feelings were positive, there were still some difficulties on this first test day at the Sepang circuit. "I felt vibrations from the first lap, which I've never experienced before. But we always struggle in long corners like turn three or those on tracks like Silverstone or Phillip Island. Like I said, I don't know what the other riders think, but I'm quite happy with the new chassis."
The feedback for the tires was also positive. "I managed to cover a lot of laps, which is a plus, considering the pace I maintained, but it's difficult to give a definitive opinion. In the morning, many riders used the medium tires. I was only able to use them for fifteen laps before switching to the soft tires to work on the chassis. This is another reason why I wasn't able to do a real time attack in the afternoon."
Looking ahead to tomorrow's session, the Spanish rider made no secret of his two wishes. "I'd like to see improvements in cornering and front-end stability."
As usual, the 21-year-old was realistic, putting the brakes on any euphoria about the work done by KTM during the winter. "We'll see. If you're not fast, the work is worthless. Compared to winter 2025, there's certainly been progress. However, it's one thing to be surprised and another to be quite happy. The company has certainly worked hard to meet our requests, and they've actually hit the mark with the chassis. We'll see how it goes tomorrow," he explained.
Unlike what we see during normal race weekends, when riders slipstream each other to study their rivals, the rider from the Mattighofen-based team explained that this doesn't make much sense during testing. "In the end, you use different tires on these occasions, and you're on the track at different times, so it's impossible to get a clear idea," he concluded.
While Acosta focused on some new components of his RC16, Binder had a quieter Tuesday. "It was a decent day. It was nice to get back on a MotoGP bike after such a long winter. This morning, I tried to save some tires for the afternoon, and riding at 2'00"2 or 2'00"3 was crazy. Anyway, tomorrow will be the real start, and we'll have more parts to test," the South African rider said before going into more detail.
"For the moment, we've taken a conservative approach, trying to regain speed. Wednesday will be the day that gives us a better understanding of where we are. The chassis? It was the same as in Valencia," he revealed.
Unlike his teammate, the 30-year-old didn't experience any particular problems with vibrations. "Actually, it wasn't bad. Surprisingly, I didn't have much chattering. Hopefully, that's a problem of the past. I can't wait to get back on the bike tomorrow to check the new parts."
Finally, regarding the swingarm, he said, "When there were two races to go at the end of last season, I adopted the new one but, today, I went back to the old one and then switched to the new one at the end to further verify the differences."