WorldSBK Jerez Testing Round Up

WorldSBK Kicks Off 2025 Preparations with Two-Day Test at Jerez

The 2025 WorldSBK season is already taking shape as teams hit the track for post-season testing at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto.

Day 1 saw some exciting developments, including the highly anticipated return of Bimota to WorldSBK action, with rider Florian Marino piloting the KB998 to a solid ninth-place finish.

Ducati Dominance
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) set the pace with an outstanding lap time of 1’38.142s, showcasing his dominance and finishing nearly 1.5 seconds ahead of his teammate, Alvaro Bautista. Despite Bautista’s early crash, he still managed to hold his own, demonstrating the strength of the Ducati team heading into the new season.

Impressive Kawasaki Debut
Garrett Gerloff, making his debut for Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, quickly impressed on his new bike. He secured the third fastest time of the day with a 1’39.650s, marking a strong start to his journey with Kawasaki.

Honda in the Mix
Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) led the charge for Honda, finishing fourth with a best lap of 1’39.971s after completing an exhausting 80 laps. His consistent performance suggests Honda will be a competitive force in 2025.

New Beginnings for Ryan Vickers
Ryan Vickers made his debut with Team Motocorsa Racing, adapting quickly to the Ducati Panigale V4 R. He posted the fifth fastest time, showing promise for the upcoming season.

WorldSSP Action
The track wasn’t just busy with WorldSBK riders. Several World Supersport (WorldSSP) riders were also testing, including Tom Booth-Amos, Philipp Oettl, and Oli Bayliss, adding to the packed day of action.

With more testing to come, the stage is being set for an exciting 2025 WorldSBK season. All eyes are on these early performances as teams fine-tune their machines for the challenges ahead.

BMW Concludes Jerez Test Early, Prepares for Aragon

Markus Reiterberger and Sylvain Guintoli were the only BMW riders on track today, following Toprak Razgatlioglu’s early departure on Monday to celebrate his recent WorldSBK title in Turkey. With their key objectives met, BMW has opted out of participating in Day 2 of testing at Jerez entirely.

Although they wrapped up testing at Jerez, BMW isn’t slowing down. Both Michael van der Mark and Razgatlioglu will be back in action next week at the Aragón test, continuing their preparations for the 2025 season.

Day 2 Bassani fastest at Jerez as Bimota impresses on WorldSBK return

Axel Bassani Tops Day 2 of Jerez Testing

Day 2 of post-season testing at Jerez saw Axel Bassani set the pace, clocking the fastest lap with a time of 1’38.478s. Riding for Bimota, Bassani led the timesheets, edging out Kawasaki Racing Team’s Alex Lowes, who posted a 1’38.679s. Lowes, making his first appearance with Bimota alongside Bassani, kept the pressure on but ultimately settled for second place.

Gerloff Shines Again for Kawasaki
Garrett Gerloff, in just his second day aboard the Kawasaki for Puccetti Racing, continued to impress. After leading much of the session, Gerloff finished third with a strong 1’39.229s, further solidifying his place as one to watch going into 2025.

Vierge and Bautista in the Mix
Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) secured fourth place late in the session with a solid time of 1’39.438s, showing consistency throughout the day. Meanwhile, reigning champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) managed to finish fifth with a time of 1’39.749s before wrapping up his day early.

Solid Outing for Vickers Despite Crash
Ryan Vickers, in only his second day of WorldSBK testing with Motocorsa Racing, continued to adapt to his Ducati Panigale V4 R. He posted a best time of 1’40.922s, landing him in sixth place. Despite a crash at Turn 1 late in the session, Vickers is showing steady progress as he gets comfortable with his new machine.

Mackenzie on Form
Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) wrapped up Day 2 in sixth place, demonstrating solid form throughout the session and staying competitive with a respectable performance.

The post-season test continues to offer a glimpse of what’s to come in 2025, with riders getting crucial track time and teams fine-tuning their setups for the upcoming WorldSBK season. Bassani’s pace and Gerloff’s strong debut are already stirring excitement as preparations ramp up.

BMW Sits Out Wednesday at Jerez After Wrapping Up Early

BMW’s WorldSBK team was notably absent from Wednesday’s testing action at Jerez, having completed their scheduled program a day earlier. After an intense Tuesday on track, the team opted to skip Day 2, content with the data and progress they gathered on Day 1.

With their testing goals achieved, BMW’s focus now shifts toward analyzing the results and making final adjustments ahead of the 2025 WorldSBK season.

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