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 heading 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.
Flag-to-Flag Races & Tyre Regulations for the Australian Round
- All WorldSBK and WorldSSP races at the 2025 Australian Round will follow a flag-to-flag format, requiring mandatory pit stops for tyre changes.
- Due to Phillip Island’s unpredictable weather and demanding track conditions, the FIM and DWO have set tyre usage limits at 11 laps for WorldSBK and 10 laps for WorldSSP. WorldSBK’s Race 1 and Race 2 will be 20 laps, with riders allocated two extra tyre sets for the weekend.
Historical Performance
- Nicolo Bulega and Alex Lowes are the most recent winners at Phillip Island, with Bulega making a stunning debut by securing his first WorldSBK victory in his very first race in 2024.
- Alvaro Bautista now holds the record for the most WorldSBK wins at Phillip Island and has been dominant at the circuit since his debut in 2019, while local star Jonathan Rea follows closely with seven victories.
- Despite his overall success in WorldSBK, Phillip Island has not been a standout circuit for Toprak Razgatlioglu, with his only win there coming in 2020 while riding for Yamaha.
- From 1990 to 2024, no BMW rider has claimed victory at Phillip Island, making it one of the few manufacturers still searching for its first win at the iconic circuit.
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