Ahead of next weekend’s 2025 Phillip Island WorldSBK season opener, two days of official testing are being held at the challenging Australian racetrack.
The track schedule for the test is as follows;
Monday (17th February)
09:10-11:00 – WorldSSP Free Practice 1
11:10-13:10 – WorldSBK Free Practice 1
13:40-15:30 – WorldSSP Free Practice 2
15:40-17:40 – WorldSBK Free Practice 2
Tuesday (18th February)
09:10-11:10 – WorldSBK Free Practice 1
11:20-13:10 – WorldSSP Free Practice 1
13:40-15:40 – WorldSBK Free Practice 2
15:50-17:40 – WorldSSP Free Practice 2
Morning leader Nicolo Bulega jumps to the top with a 1m 30.088s. That's just 0.003s quicker than Alex Lowes (Bimota).
The Ducatis of Alvaro Bautista and Danilo Petrucci and Yamaha of Andrea Locatelli complete the current top five.
Still no sign of Rea.
Only Jonathan Rea and Zaqhwan Zaidi (who didn't set a time in session 1) have not yet been on track.
But not for long, Alvaro Bautista sets a low 1m 30s for Ducati.
Around half of the 24 riders have been on track, with Razgatlioglu's BMW team-mate Michael van der Mark now quickest from the reigning champion.
Razgatlioglu goes to the top on his fourth lap with a 1m 30.822s, that would have put him 13th in the first session.
Razgatlioglu avoids a repeat of the morning drama, passing Turn 6 (Siberia) without incident on his 3rd lap.
As a reminder, the fastest lap time in Session 1 was a 1m 29.454s by Ducati's Nicolo Bulega.
Either way, the good news is that Razgatlioglu is back on track during the opening minutes. Let's hope Jonathan Rea, who also suffered a heavy fall in the first session, is also fit to ride.
A video for WorldSBK shows Toprak Razgatlioglu walking to the BMW garage. Asked 'All good Toprak?' He replies 'Er... better!'
The green lights are on and WorldSBK Session 2 begins at Phillip Island.
Some red flags during the Supersport session mean a delay to the start of WorldSBK's second and final session of the day.
The second WorldSBK session of the day will run from 15:40-17:40.
Jonathan Rea's Yamaha is returned to the pits at Phillip Island. The six-time world champion has been taken to the medical centre for a check up.
PICTURES: Toprak Razgatlioglu highsides at start of 2025 Phillip Island WorldSBK test
Gardner wasn't the only late faller, WorldSBK reports that Jonathan Rea is being taken to the medical centre for a check-up after a Turn 2 accident.
The opening track session is complete.
Nicolo Bulega saves his best for last to pull 0.309s clear of Danilo Petrucci.
Andrea Iannone, Alvaro Bautista and Garrett Gerloff complete the top five.
Home star Remy Gardner is classified eighth, but reported to have fallen in the final sector.
Michael van der Mark makes a late improvement to tenth for BMW, with team-mate Toprak Razgatlioglu not returning after his big highside.
Into the final 15mins of today's opening WorldSBK session and Ducati, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Bimota and Honda all have at least one rider in the top ten.
The exception is BMW, which is 15th with Michael van der Mark. Reigning champion Toprak Razgatlioglu hasn't returned to action since his lap 3 highside, presumably due to bike damage.
Test leader Nicolo Bulega improves his best time on his 26th lap, but is only 0.163s clear of Petrucci. Alvaro Bautista is 0.429s behind in third.
Garrett Gerloff gatecrashes the Ducati party at the top by putting his Kawasaki into 4th place, as the only non-Panigale in the top five.
Locatelli is the top Yamaha in sixth, Alex Lowes the lead Bimota in eighth, Xavi Vierge the highest Honda in eleventh and Michael van der Mark 14th for BMW.
Classification at the midway stage of the morning session (one hour to go)
(Reigning world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu is reported to be okay after his early fall, but still hasn't returned to the track).
1. Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) 1m 29.723s
2. Danilo Petrucci
3. Andrea Iannone
4. Alvaro Bautista
5. Andrea Locatelli (fastest Yamaha)
6. Scott Redding
7. Alex Lowes (fastest Bimota)
8. Garrett Gerloff (fastest Kawasaki)
9. Axel Bassani
10. Jonathan Rea
11. Ryan Vickers
12. Xavi Vierge (fastest Honda)
13. Michael van der Mark (fastest BMW)
14. Yari Montella
15. Remy Gardner
16. Dominique Aegerter
17. Sam Lowes
18. Iker Lecuona
19. Bahattin Sofuoglu
20. Tetsuta Nagashima
21. Tarran Mackenzie
22. Tito Rabat
23. Toprak Razgatlioglu
24. Zaqhwan Zaidi
Danilo Petrucci joins Bulega in breaking the 1m 30s, the Barni rider is now 0.266s from the top.
Nicolo Bulega is still fastest with his 1m 29.723s, but now leads an all-Ducati top three ahead of Danilo Petrucci and Alvaro Bautista.
With Andrea Iannone fifth and Scott Redding sixth, Yamaha's Andrea Locatelli (4th) is the only non-Panigale in the top six.
Then it's the Bimotas of Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani.
Razgatlioglu hasn't been back out on track yet, with team-mate Michael van der Mark the fastest BMW rider in ninth.
Most riders are back in the pits after their first run.
Bulega is 0.708s clear of Iannone for an early Ducati one-two with Alex Lowes in third for Bimota.
Sam Lowes and Iker Lecuona are the only riders on track.
