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Four test sessions, of two hours each, spread over two days: this will be the total amount of time that the World Superbike riders will have on Monday, February 17 and Tuesday, February 18 at Phillip Island, to fine-tune their bikes ahead of the first race of the season. A test to which much of the line-up will arrive with very few kilometers behind them, after all the time lost due to the rain that messed up the testing schedule at Jerez and Portimao.
In keeping with tradition, weather conditions will be one of the great unknowns in Australia as well, where cloudy skies and a maximum temperature of around 17-19° C expected over the two days of testing will apparently be followed by a hot Saturday, with a maximum over 30° C, and a rainy Sunday. Despite the vagaries of the weather, those in the state of Victoria will still be two important days for the teams and riders to not only to work on the set-up, but also to devote themselves to the final touches and to perfecting the tyre change in view of the mandatory pit stop that will again mark the two long races of the season's inaugural Round.
It's an appointment that will certainly not catch unprepared Toprak Razgatlioglu and Nicolò Bulega, who already seem to have the situation under control. In fact, the Turkish champion does not seem to have been affected one bit by having to give up testing in Andalusia to recover from the fracture in the index finger of his right hand suffered in January in training, and the inability to use the chassis implemented with the Superconcessions. And he is ready to play an absolute starring role, as early as these last two days of testing.
The same part that the Ducati rider also aims to play, having arrived in Australia with much less pressure than last year, much more awareness, and a desire to refine his feeling with the Panigale V4R that is already practically perfect. A situation diametrically opposed to that of his teammate Alvaro Bautista, for whom it will be crucial to start regaining some confidence on the Red bike, on a friendly track like the Australian one.
Staying with Ducati, eyes are also on Andrea Iannone, who is called upon to fight consistently for the top positions in this his second year in the category, and Danilo Petrucci, winner of the title of best Independent rider in 2024. Not forgetting Scott Redding, who this season makes his return on a Panigale after a 3-year absence, Sam Lowes, and the two rookies Yari Montella and Ryan Vickers.
In the light of the encouraging signs shown in early testing, confirmations are expected at Phillip Island from the Bimota KB998s of Axel Bassani and Alex Lowes. As well as from the Kawasaki of Garrett Gerloff and the Yamahas of Jonathan Rea and Remy Gardner. While Andrea Locatelli will continue to work on the set-up of his R1, the physical condition of Dominique Aegerter, who underwent surgery earlier this month to remove the metal plate inserted in his shoulder following the accident he suffered in August 2024 in training, and Motoxracing rookie Bahattin Sofuoglu, who appeared to have suffered a fractured collarbone on the second day of testing in Portugal, will have to undergo a check instead.
After the good progress shown over the winter, Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona will instead continue to work on their adaptation to the Öhlins suspension and tuning of the Honda CBR1000RR-R, aiming to make further progress ahead of the championship start.
