Official tests World SBK will lead the way ahead of the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship opener at Phillip Island Circuit in Australia from February 21-23.
Before the season opener gets underway, teams will take part in a two-day official test on 17-18 February, their last chance to fine-tune set-ups and gather data after the weather-disrupted European private tests. This crucial session will set the tone for the season, providing a glimpse of the form of the competitors ahead of the highly anticipated opener at the iconic venue.
For true European enthusiasts who would like to follow the tests live, the times will be difficult (see below, in French times), but you will find the highlights of the two days in our columns each day.
What's new on the grid
- The return of Bimota in the championship brings the total number of constructors to six for the 2025 season, the highest number since 2018.
- Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and
Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) move from WorldSSP to WorldSBK, while Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) moves from British Superbike to WorldSBK. The Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi
(PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing) is the last rookie on the starting grid.
- Scott Redding remains with the newly renamed MGM BONOVO Racing team and now races the Ducati Panigale V4 R.
- Garrett gerloff joins the Kawasaki WorldSBK team as a sole rider.
- Tito Rabat changes manufacturer to join the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK team.
Key regulation updates for 2025
– Each driver will have 10 front tires and 11 rear tires per race weekend.
– All teams start with a fuel flow limited to 47 kg/h. If the best performing manufacturer overtakes the second with 12 concession points or more at a checkpoint, they will incur a 0,5 kg/h reduction in fuel flow as a penalty. An additional 0,5 kg/h of fuel flow is now considered a concession.
– A new Super Concession grants six additional testing days on top of the existing six days for Super Concession teams.
– Only the best-placed driver from each manufacturer will score concession points, although the points system itself remains unchanged.
– Manufacturers who win two dry races (including the Superpole Race) on two different circuits lose all concession advantages for the season.
Preseason preview
– Bad weather in 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 in Portimao, his only test, topping the dry times. The Turkish star made it clear he was ready to fight to defend his title.
- Nicholas Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), runner-up in 2024, has made a strong start to his 2025 campaign, testing solidly and heading to Australia with confidence after refining his package.
- Bimota impressed on his WorldSBK debut, with alex lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and Axel Bassani who have achieved competitive performances.
- Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) has been struggling with confidence and setup issues on his Ducati, compounded by a high-speed crash in Portimao.
– Honda and Yamaha made notable progress, with Honda adapting well to Ohlins suspension and Yamaha showing strong pace.
Flag to flag racing and tyre regulations for the Australian round
All WorldSBK and WorldSSP races at the 2025 Australian round will be held in a flag-to-flag format, with mandatory pit stops for tyre changes.
Due to the unpredictable weather at Phillip Island and the demanding track conditions, the FIM and DWO have set the tyre usage limits at 11 laps for WorldSBK and 10 laps for WorldSSP. WorldSBK Race 1 and Race 2 will be 20 laps, with riders being allocated two additional sets of tyres for the weekend.
Historical performances
- Nicholas Bulega et alex lowes
are the most recent winners at Phillip Island, with Bulega making a sensational debut by claiming his first WorldSBK victory in his very first race of 2024.
- Alvaro Bautista now holds the record for most WorldSBK wins at Phillip Island and has dominated the circuit since his debut in 2019, while local star Jonathan Rhea follows closely with seven wins.
– Despite its overall success in WorldSBK, Phillip Island has not been a landmark circuit for Toprak Razgatlioglu, his only victory there coming in 2020 while riding for Yamaha.
– From 1990 to 2024, no BMW driver has won at Phillip Island, making them one of the few manufacturers still searching for their first victory at the iconic circuit.
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