The first day of post-season testing for the 2026 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship took place at Circuito de Jerez ā Ćngel Nieto, with riders and teams returning to the track just days after the conclusion of the 2025 season.
Day 1 Highlights
- Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing ā Ducati) dominated the first day of testing, setting a fastest lap of 1ā38.027 with 40 minutes remaining, surpassing his best laps from Race 1 and Race 2 of the 2025 Pirelli Spanish Round. His new teammate Iker Lecuona made his first laps on Ducati machinery, finishing 7th fastest with a 1ā39.520.
- Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) emerged as the top Yamaha rider on his debut, securing 2nd fastest with a 1ā39.137 on his 39th lap. Andrea Locatelli ended 5th fastest with 1ā39.479, joining Manzi and Vierge on track for the final laps of the session.
- Rookie Stefano Manzi (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), in his first appearance as a full-time WorldSBK rider, clocked 1ā39.349 on his 87th lap, finishing 3rd fastest and fastest among the Yamaha R1s. He also completed the most laps of any rider, with 95 laps by the sessionās end.
- Starting his second WorldSBK season, Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing) rose to 4th fastest with a 1ā39.433. New to the team, Mattia Rato completed 60 laps, finishing 14th fastest with 1ā41.243.
- Michael van der Mark represented BMW in place of their new riders, ending the day 6th fastest with 1ā39.492.
- Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) completed 61 laps, posting the 8th fastest time of 1ā39.689 as he begins preparation for his second season with Kawasaki.
- Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) rounded out the top ten, finishing 9th fastest while still recovering from his final-round crash.
- WorldSSP riders in action included Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) and Simon Jespersen (EAB Racing Team), with Oettl posting the fastest lap of the category.
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