Pre-season testing returned for a rainy Day 2 at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto. Overnight rain left the track wet in the morning, then returned at around 11:00 Local Time (UTC+1), slowing down track times and leading many riders to not ride in the rainy conditions. The day gave the teams an opportunity to test out their bikes’ capabilities on a wet track, and featured Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha) as the fastest rider on the day, followed by Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) and MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship rookie Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team).

REA FASTEST, LOCATELLI CRASHES: mixed day for Yamaha

Rea was quickest on Day 2 with the Northern Irishman rarely troubled at the top of the times. His best lap was a 1’53.058s as he took P1 on his Yamaha R1 as he completed 40 laps across his two bikes – 20 on each; his fastest time on his second bike was good enough for P2. Teammate Andrea Locatelli joined Rea in the rain for 19 laps, however crashed at Turn 1 in the morning. He was uninjured, however, and returned to the track in the early afternoon. ‘Loka’ finished the day tenth fastest, with a best lap of 1’55.429s.  Team Principal Paul Denning spoke with WorldSBK reporters in the ground in Jerez yesterday on the improvements he and his team hope to bring to their 2025 package, and while some of those changes may not be implemented until the season is underway, the team’s R1 looks to be making strides in the right direction.

HONDA SUSPENSION GETS WET RUNNING: Vierge second as sole CBR1000RR-R rider

Vierge doesn’t seem to be having any growing pains with his CBR1000RR-R’s new Ohlins suspension. The #97 finished with the second fastest lap on the day with a 1’53.666s. The Spanish rider enjoyed fast laps across both days at Jerez, in the wind on Day 1, and now in the rain on Day 2 through where he logged 27 laps.

MONTELLA QUICK IN THE WET: third for the #5, Redding fifth

WorldSBK rookie Montella impressed in his second showing atop Team Barni Spark’s Panigale V4 R, trading quick laps with Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and six-time Champion Rea throughout the day. To finish off his 32 laps, he was seen doing practice starts at the end of the pit lane. The 25-year-old Italian recorded his fastest lap on his 28^th time around the circuit, a 1’53.978s, less than a second behind P1. The only other Ducati rider to join him on the track was Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) who, hot off of his rapid Day 1, finished fifth fastest, logging 42 laps and a fastest lap of 1’54.893s.

BASSANI COMPLETES BIMOTA RUNNING: fourth for ‘El Bocia’

Bassani looked fast despite the inclement weather and seemed to be making the most out of his first time riding the KB998 Rimini in the wet. He claimed fourth place with a 1’54.426s and completed 36 laps, with the #47 the sole Bimota race rider to take to the track on Day 2.

GERLOFF GETS WET RUNNING BUT CRASHES: P11 for the American

Garrett Gerloff had a relatively short day out on the track on Day 2. His 11-lap day was disrupted by a crash at Turn 13, the left-hand hairpin that ends the Jerez lap. The Texan’s best lap time was a 1’56.893s which came on his final lap, with his day ending shortly before midday.

BMW PUTTING IN THE LAPS: Reiterberger and Guintoli ran the gauntlet at a rainy Jerez

While Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) didn’t make an appearance despite his acumen in rainy conditions, ROKiT BMW instead featured test drivers Markus Reiterberger and Sylvain Guintoli each running different setups in order to collect as much data as possible on BMW’s new M 1000 RR. The pair had a very  full -and very wet- day at the office, cumulatively recording 175 laps between the two of them; Reiterberger with 83 and Guintoli with 92. That comes out to at least 41 more laps than the next longest ride of the day which was Scott Redding with 42.

The top six in WorldSBK from Day 2 at Jerez, full results here:

1 Johnathan Rea (Pata Yamaha) 1’53.058, 40 laps

2. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) 1’53.666, 27 laps

3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’53.978, 32 laps

4. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 1’54.426, 36 laps

5. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) 1’54.893, 42 laps

6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha) 1’55.429, 19 laps

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