Day 1 of the WorldSBK test at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto saw plenty of activity as most teams and riders participated in their first test ahead of the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.
This test will be followed by another two-day session at Portimao next week.
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) set the fastest time of the day with a 1’38.731s, showcasing impressive pace on his Ducati Panigale V4R. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) followed closely behind in second place with a 1’39.181s, just 0.450s off Bulega’s time.
Back with Ducati, Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) finished third with a 1’39.280s, while Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) in his third test on the ZX-10RR, showed strong form, recording a 1’39.332s to secure fourth place.
Having completed 47 laps, Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) posted a 1’39.463s, finishing in fourth.
Meanwhile Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) set a 1’39.548s to claim fifth place.
Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC), who started to work with Tetsuya Sasaki as crew chief, finished in sixth with a 1’39.916s. Honda also moved back to Ohlins suspension for 2025, with Vierge testing their new components.
Former WorldSBK Champions Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha) were respectively eighth and 13th on the timesheets, with Bautista recording a 1’40.135s and Rea posting a 1’40.368s.
BMW’s Michael van der Mark secured 11th place with a best time of 1:40.285s with the new M 1000 RR. The team is also without Toprak Razgatlioglu, who suffered a broken finger during the offseason which has ruled him out of the Jerez test.
The three Rookies had varying results, with Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) finishing 14th with a time of 1’40.586s, adapting to the Ducati Panigale V4R. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) ended the day in 17th, posting a 1’41.296s, and Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) placed 18th with a 1’41.308s, familiarising himself with his new machinery.
Scott Redding’s new livery was revealed at Jerez as he makes his return to Ducati with the MGM BONOVO Racing team, marking their switch from BMW to Ducati machinery.
Rookies Yari Montella and Bahattin Sofuoglu, stepping up from WorldSSP, along with Ryan Vickers, took to the track on Tuesday at Jerez as preparations for the 2025 season got underway.
Garrett Gerloff continued his adaptation to Kawasaki machinery at Jerez, showcasing his new green colours as he gears up for the 2025 season.
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