The weather forecast may finally have predicted a rain-free day for this final chapter of the Superbike test. World SBK in Portimão, but it was quite different, to the point that only three drivers took to the track on Tuesday in the Algarve.
After heavy overnight rain, the asphalt of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve was completely waterlogged on Tuesday morning for the participants in the World Championship for production-derived motorcycles, keeping everyone in the pits until 13:30 pm local time, when a motorcycle could be seen on the track for the first time, in this case a Ducati Panigale V4 R. Tommy Bridewell, presented for the first time the day before by the Australian Superbike Advocates team with the number 46…
Following this, the Ducati Panigale V2 of Philipp Oettl no doubt intended to make the circuit rented by the Feel Racing team profitable, but the times of over 2'05 clearly indicated the only possible objective; to accumulate kilometers to feel comfortable, without seeking to set a time.
This is what the two drivers did, trading the fastest lap throughout the day, joined in the late afternoon by Xavi Verge for a quick shakedown of his two R1s in Pata Maxus Yamaha colors.
Finally, Tommy Bridewell posted a best lap of 1'53.868 on a track already covered in 1'39.081 by Toprak Razgatlioglu last year…
Whether in Jerez or Portimão, all the 2025/2026 Superbike tests have been disrupted by rain, and we will therefore have to wait for the next round, from March 27 to 29 on the Portuguese circuit, to define with a little more precision the outlines of the 2026 hierarchy.
In the meantime, this benefits the undisputed favorite, the 2025 world runner-up. Nicholas Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).
All the teams are however unhappy that they were not able to fully test and fine-tune their machines, and are beginning to consider other solutions so that the exceptional situation experienced during this championship switchover does not happen again: they are not racing, but have committed considerable sums to be present.
Are tests outside Europe, like in MotoGP, the solution?
alex lowes, the fastest man of these two days, said : “I felt good on the bike from day one. It was great to be back on track in Europe after the opening round in Australia. We were competitive and fast in the dry there, and also here in Portimão from the very first laps. We continued the work we started during winter testing, and the results are positive. I was confident. We had just started testing some settings on the bike when the rain came, so we didn't have a chance to really test them. It was good to be back because we hadn't ridden at Portimão since last year's race. So it was interesting to see how the KB998 Rimini has evolved. We still have a lot of work to do to be ready for the race weekend in Portimão.”
Superbike Test Portimão WorldSBK Superbike Test Portimão WorldSBK
