2024 runner-up Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) started his 2025 campaign with top spot on Day 1 of testing at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto as almost the entire MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field gathered in Spain. Bulega was the only rider in the 1’38s bracket as he fended off Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) for first position, while Scott Redding’s (MGM BONOVO Racing) first day back on the Panigale V4 R ended with him in third place and just half-a-second off Bulega.

BULEGA LEADS DUCATI CHARGE: #11 on top by almost half-a-second, Redding P3

Bulega was the first rider to dip into the 1’39s bracket on Day 1, and he was also the only rider to go into the 1’38s as he closed in on his race lap record set at the season-ending 2024 Spanish Round. With 44 laps completed and a best time of 1’38.731s, he secured P1 ahead of compatriot Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) in second. ‘The Maniac’ had a new exhaust available to him, like other Ducati riders, although opted not to run it on Wednesday. His best time was a 1’39.181s as he finished a tenth ahead of Redding, who claimed an impressive P3 on his first day back on the Panigale V4 R; lapping just over 0.5 seconds down on Bulega as he secured a top-three finish. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), fresh from his Dakar Rally exploits over the winter, was sixth as he completed 69 laps and set a 1’39.548s Double Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) claimed eighth with Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in ninth. Rookie Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) took 15^th as he continued his adaptation to WorldSBK machinery and the Panigale V4 R.

GERLOFF FOURTH FOR KAWASAKI: just over a second down on Bulega

America’s Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) is Kawasaki’s sole representative in WorldSBK this season and he’s been showing good promise in his early days on the ZX-10RR. With new upgrades on his machine, including the suspension, the #31 set a 1’39.332s to claim P4 while also racking up 62 laps. Gerloff used the SCQ tyre to set his fastest lap of the day.

BASSANI QUICK FOR BIMOTA AGAIN: fifth for ‘El Bocia’, tenth for Alex Lowes

Bassani has seemingly adapted to the KB998 Rimini quickly with another strong showing at Jerez. Fifth place with 47 laps completed, his best time also came on his 47^th and final lap as he set a 1’39.463s to secure P5, though he had been as high as second with this lap time. Teammate Alex Lowes was around 0.7s down on the #47 as he finished in tenth place, with a focus on engine specs at Jerez to begin with but then branching out to other critical areas of the bike such as suspension, chassis, electronics and aero.

HONDA SWITCH TO OHLINS SUSPENSION: P7 for Vierge, Lecuona absent

A big story to come from testing was Honda moving back to Ohlins suspension for 2025, with the Honda HRC crew testing their new components on Day 1 at Jerez. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) was the only race rider for the team, and he finished in seventh with a 1’39.916s, while also racking up 81 laps. He was joined by test rider Tetsuta Nagashima, with Iker Lecuona missing through injury, and the Japanese rider added another 81 laps to Honda’s total with a best time of 1’41.498s. In terms of Independent Honda riders, Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) completed 61 laps with a best time of 1’41.715s; his day was interrupted by a Turn 1 crash with around 45 minutes remaining in the day.

VAN DER MARK 11^th AFTER EARLY CRASH: disrupted day for the #60

Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the sole race rider out on track for BMW at Jerez, with teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu missing through injury. The Dutchman was quick out of the blocks but a Turn 8 crash cost him valuable time, before returning to the track on his second bike. His best time was a 1’40.285s and he completed 70 laps. Van der Mark was joined by test riders Sylvain Guintoli and Markus Reiterberger (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).

NEW SWINGARM AT YAMAHA: Gardner fastest for the Japanese manufacturer

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was the top Yamaha rider on Day 1 in a closely contested field, with the Australian finishing in 12^th place after posting a 1’40.293s. Gardner had new items to test on his R1 machine and finished directly ahead of Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha). The six-time Champion’s best time was a 1’40.368s as he completed 50 laps on Wednesday, with Yamaha bringing updates including a new swingarm for 2025. Teammate Andrea Locatelli was in 15^th place while rookie Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) put in 72 laps as he made his public WorldSBK debut. He finished in 16^th place with a 1’41.296s, while teammate Tito Rabat was the busiest rider on track as he racked up 99 laps as he got up to speed on his Yamaha R1.

WORLD SUPERSPORT FIELD: Schroetter fastest, Toba close behind

Several WorldSSP riders took to Jerez on Tuesday for testing, with Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) leading the field with a 1’43.289s. The German rider completed a similar number of laps as second-placed Kaito Toba (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing), with 70 and 65 respectively, and there was little to separate them in terms of lap time: just 0.215s. Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) was third on his WorldSSP debut, five tenths away from Schroetter’s time, while Ondrej Vostatek (WRP Racing) was fifth. QJMOTOR Factory Racing had both Raffaele De Rosa and Niki Tuuli on track, riding both the current and prototype bikes, with their times in the 1’44s bracket; De Rosa had a crash at Turn 6. Corentin Perolari (Honda RACING World Supersport) was sixth with teammate Ana Carrasco seventh.

The top six in WorldSBK from Day 1 at Jerez, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’38.731s, 77 laps

2. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) 1’39.181s, 68 laps

3. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) 1’39.280s, 78 laps

4. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) 1’39.332s, 70 laps

5. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 1’39.463s, 52 laps

6. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’39.548s, 69 laps

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