The first day of testing for the Superbike World Championship at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto was led by Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who showed an impressive pace. Bulega recorded the best time of 1m38.142s, leaving his teammate Álvaro Bautista more than 1.5 seconds behind. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) also surprised by securing third place, while Bimota returned to action on the Jerez track.
Bulega at full speed on the Ducati
Nicolo Bulega continued the momentum from the Spanish round, leading the test sessions with an impressive time of 1m38.142s. The Italian rider completed 86 laps throughout the day, testing new chassis components on his Ducati Panigale V4 R. Álvaro Bautista, his teammate and current champion, had a more challenging day following a crash at Turn 2, but still managed to complete 85 laps, securing second place with a best time of 1m39.567s.
Garrett Gerloff impresses on the Kawasaki
Garrett Gerloff showed excellent form in his debut with the Kawasaki ZX-10RR, finishing the day in third position. The American rider completed 77 laps and posted his best time of 1m39.650s in the last 30 minutes of the session. This was his first experience with the new bike, the third brand he’s competed with in the championship, and his primary focus was adapting quickly to the Kawasaki.
Vierge leads for Honda
Xavi Vierge from Team HRC was the only rider from the Honda main team present in Jerez, with his teammate Iker Lecuona absent due to injury. Vierge tested three different bikes and finished in fourth place with a time of 1m39.971s. Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) placed sixth with a time of 1m41.063s. In total, Honda riders completed 195 laps, with Vierge contributing 80, Mackenzie 70, Tetsuta Nagashima 46, and Tommy Bridewell 69.
BMW testing with Reiterberger and Guintoli
BMW was also present at the test, with Markus Reiterberger and Sylvain Guintoli testing the 2025 engine updates. Reiterberger finished seventh with a time of 1m41.088s, while Guintoli placed 11th with 1m41.806s. Together, the duo completed 112 laps, preparing the team for the upcoming tests in Aragon, where Toprak Razgatlioglu and Michael van der Mark will return to the track.
Bimota returns with Florian Marino
Bimota returned to World Superbike action with rider Florian Marino testing the KB998 model. Marino completed 72 laps and finished the day in ninth place, with a best time of 1m41.360s. Bimota is the only representative of the Italian brand in the championship and is preparing for more regular competition in the upcoming season.
WorldSSP also on track
In the World Supersport field, Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph) stood out with a time of 1m42.889s, leading the class. Philipp Oettl, riding the Ducati Panigale V2, made his debut with the new team and recorded the second-best time among the WorldSSP riders with 1m43.057s. Oli Bayliss, also on the Triumph, completed 42 laps, finishing with a time of 1m44.243s.
© Jairo Diaz
