WSBK Test: Day 1 Portimão Round Up
WSBK Test: The official the Portimão test at the Algarve draws to a close so let’s do a round up of what’s happened today.
Return of the #1
It was the man in gold, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) who topped the timesheets at the end of day 1 at the Algarve. Toprak missed the first test at Jerez due to an injury on his index finger. It seems this wasn’t enough to dampen any kind of determination, with the #1 taking P1 by just his second lap and setting a top time on lap 55 with a 1’40.650.
He did WHAT with his gloves?..
Funnily enough, WorldSBK reported Toprak was actually provided 2x pairs of custom gloves, one pair with an enlarged index finger slot and another a sort of mitten-style glove where the index finger and middle finger are conjoined. This didn’t seem to be an issue!
His team-mate Michael van der Mark also had a positive day onboard the new BMW M 1000 RR as following a short appearance at the Jerez test following a crash, ended the day in 8th place.
Looking to the Italian flock it was Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who finished fastest among 2025’s flock of Ducati machinery. He was consistently one of the fastest of the first day of the WSBK test at Portimão, totalling 60 laps and finishing in P3 with a best time of 1’40.748s.
Next in-line for Ducati was the much loved Danilo Petrucci. The Barni Spark Racing Team rider finished P8 with a fastest lap of 1’41.369s. He ran 45 laps in his half-day of testing. Sam Lowes of ELF Marc VDS Racing Team, finished just two-tenths of a second slower than Petrucci. Lowes ran a total of 56 laps, the best time being a 1’41.580s.
Next up is another British rider Scott Redding, who went in with gritted teeth at the Jerez test. He finished P16, his fastest lap on his 32nd lap, which was 1’42.260s. Scott has had great success on Ducati machinery in the past.
A lot of the morning for the WSBK test saw Bimota riders Alex Lowes, Axel Bassani and test rider Xavi Fores in the top five, at points in both P1 and P2. Bassani finished fastest for the Italian-Japanese racing project, recording a 1’4.679s in his last lap.
Rea made a late appearance out on track, hitting the tarmac at just after 15:15. He clinched a short-lived P1 in just his sixth lap. He placed 5th overall in day 1 of the WSBK test at Portimão.
Rea’s team mate Andrea ‘Loka’ Locatelli finished 15th with 1’42.245s as his best time, recording 38 laps across his two bikes running different setups.
Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) turned heads in the afternoon at Portimao on Day 1, setting two brief P1 times near the end of the session before Toprak Razgatlioglu set faster times. Remy Gardner finished P4 with a 1’40.749s across 49 laps. Gardner’s teammate, Dominique Aegerter recorded his fastest lap early in the session of 1’42.634s, in his 38th lap.
The top six in WorldSBK from Day 1 at Portimao:
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’40.650s, 60 laps
2. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 1’40.679s, 62 laps
3. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’40.748s, 60 laps
4. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’40.749, 49 laps
5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) 1’41.100s, 42 laps
6. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) 1’41.164s,74 laps
Keep up to date on the testing on our website SuperBike.co.uk