Official Test sets the stage: final preparations underway ahead of February 21-23 opener
The 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship roars into action at Australia’s Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit from February 21-23, as the iconic venue hosts the season-opening round. With title battles set to unfold and new rider lineups debuting, anticipation is at fever pitch for the year’s first showdown.
Before the racing begins, teams will tackle a critical two-day Official Test on February 17-18, their final chance to refine setups and gather data following weather-disrupted European private tests. This crucial session will set the tone for the season, offering a glimpse into the contenders’ form ahead of the highly anticipated opener.
What’s new on the grid
- Bimota’s return to the championship brings the total number of manufacturers to six for the 2025 season, marking the highest number since 2018.
- Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) step up from WorldSSP, while Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) moves from British Superbike to WorldSBK. Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing) joins as the final rookie on the grid.
- Scott Redding remains with newly rebranded MGM BONOVO Racing, now competing on the Ducati Panigale V4 R.
- Garrett Gerloff moves to the Kawasaki WorldSBK Team as its sole rider.
- Tito Rabat switches manufacturers to join Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team.
Key Regulation Updates for 2025
- Each rider will have 10 front tyres and 11 rear tyres available per race weekend.
- All teams start with a 47kg/h fuel flow limit.
- If the highest-scoring manufacturer leads the second-best by 12 or more concession points at a checkpoint, they will face a 0.5kg/h fuel flow reduction as a penalty.
- An extra fuel flow of 0.5kg/h is now classified as a concession.
- A new Super Concession grants an additional six days of testing on top of the existing six days for Super Concession teams.
- Only the highest-placed rider from each manufacturer will score concession points, though the points system itself remains unchanged.
- Manufacturers that win two dry races (including the Superpole Race) on two different tracks will lose any further concession benefits for the season.
Pre-season insights
- Poor weather at Jerez and Portimao limited testing, with only one full day of dry running. Despite a broken finger, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) showed strong pace at Portimao, the only test he participated in, topping timesheets in dry conditions. The Turkish star has made it clear he is ready to fight to defend his title. 2024 runner-up Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had a solid start to his 2025 campaign, completing strong tests and head to Australia with confidence after refining his package.   Bimota impressed in its WorldSBK debut, with Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and Axel Bassani delivering competitive performances. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) struggled with confidence and setup on his Ducati, compounded by a high-speed crash at Portimao. Honda and Yamaha made notable progress, with Honda adapting well to Ohlins suspension and Yamaha showing strong pace.
Alex Lowes, bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team:
“Phillip Island is a fantastic track—very fast, in fact, one of the fastest we race at in terms of average speed. It features many third- and fourth-gear corners with big lean angles, and this makes it really difficult for the tyres.
The key to a fast lap here is to be smooth, make sure the bike is turning well under acceleration and not spin the rear tyre too much but it’s a fantastic track it’s always fantastic close racing with quite a lot of passing places. It’s the perfect place to start the WorldSBK season.”
