Get ready for some high-octane action as we dive into the thrilling world of the 2026 World Superbike pre-season test! The stage is set at the iconic Phillip Island in Australia, where the final preparations are underway.
The Battle for Supremacy
On the first day, reigning title runner-up Nicolo Bulega dominated, setting the pace in both sessions and finishing with an impressive 1m 29.345s. But here's where it gets interesting... Axel Bassani, Sam Lowes, and Yari Montella also broke the 1m 30s barrier, indicating a tightly contested battle.
Day 2: The Showdown
The second day of testing began with a bang as Axel Bassani put Bimota at the top of the timesheets, only for Bulega to respond with the best lap of the test so far - a scorching 1m 29.086s. However, the day wasn't without incident, as Honda HRC rookie Jake Dixon suffered a fractured wrist in an early accident, ruling him out of this weekend's season-opener.
Results: Day 2 (FP4, Hour 1)
- Axel Bassani (ITA) - bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team - 1:29.482s
- Nicolo Bulega (ITA) - Aruba.it - Ducati - +0.249s
- Sam S. Lowes (GBR) - ELF Marc VDS Racing Team - +0.290s
- Yari Montella (ITA) - Barni Spark Racing Team - +0.340s
- Iker Lecuona (SPA) - Aruba.it - Ducati - +0.386s
- Alex Lowes (GBR) - bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team - +0.478s
- Garrett Gerloff (USA) - Kawasaki Team - +0.604s
- Lorenzo Baldassarri (ITA) - Team Goeleven - +0.905s
- Miguel Oliveira (POR) - ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team - +0.935s
- Andrea Locatelli (ITA) - Pata Maxus Yamaha - +0.946s
- Alberto Surra (ITA) - Motocorsa Ducati - +0.962s
- Xavi Vierge (SPA) - Pata Maxus Yamaha - +1.054s
- Alvaro Bautista (SPA) - Barni Spark Racing Team - +1.122s
- Danilo Petrucci (ITA) - ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team - +1.256s
- Remy Gardner (AUS) - GYTR GRT Yamaha Team - +1.555s
- Ryan Vickers (GBR) - Honda HRC - +1.569s
- Bahattin Sofuoglu (TUR) - Motoxracing Team - +1.644s
- Tetsuta Nagashima (JPN) - Honda HRC - +1.882s
- Tarran Mackenzie (GBR) - MGM Optical Express Racing - +2.163s
- Stefano Manzi (ITA) - GYTR GRT Yamaha Team - +2.327s
- Mattia Rato (ITA) - Motoxracing Team - +2.650s
Fastest Times
FP3: Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) - 1m 28.880s
Day 1: Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) - 1m 29.345s
Official Phillip Island WorldSBK Records
Best lap: Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) - 1m 27.916 (2024)
Fastest race lap: Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) - 1m 28.564 (2024)
The Story So Far
As the dust settles on Day 2, Bulega's dominance continues, with the fastest lap of the week so far. But Bassani and Montella are hot on his tail, setting the stage for an exciting season-opener.
And this is the part most people miss... the impact of injuries. With Dixon out, the field is further narrowed, intensifying the competition.
Fastest 2025 WorldSBK Superpole Qualifying Laps
Ducati: Nicolo Bulega - 1m 28.824s
BMW: Toprak Razgatlioglu - 1m 28.918s
Yamaha: Andrea Locatelli - 1m 29.783s
Bimota: Alex Lowes - 1m 29.859s
Honda: Xavi Vierge - 1m 29.924s
Kawasaki: Garrett Gerloff - 1m 30.768s
As the test concludes, one thing is clear: the 2026 season promises to be an exhilarating ride. Who will emerge as the champion? Only time will tell.
Thoughts? Feel free to share your predictions and opinions in the comments!
