The Phillip Island Circuit in Australia has staged an official two-day WorldSBK test in which the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team participated with riders Bahattin Sofuoglu and Tito Rabat, with the aim of preparing effectively for the first championship round.
On day one of the test, the weather and track remained dry, allowing the Turkish rider to set a time of 1’31”674, while the Spaniard’s best laps was a 1’30”951.On the second and final day, both riders were able to improve. During the morning, Sofuoglu put in a fastest time of 1’31”091 and Rabat a 1’30”638.
Rain just prior to the final session meant that riders only headed out on track a few minutes before the end of the phase. The two Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK riders completed just a few laps, during which they worked to refine the setup of their respective bikes, though without improving on their fastest times.
These two official test days were useful in that the riders and technicians were able to work on the setup of their YZF-R1 machines in preparation for the opening round of the 2025 Superbike World Championship, which will be staged at the same Phillip Island track on 21-23 February.
"I’m pleased with how this test has gone. Despite rain causing us to lose almost the entire last session, the outcome is definitely positive. Rabat worked well with his team and would have set a much faster time had he not been caught up in traffic, while Bahattin is still feeling the after-effects of the collarbone injury he sustained at Portimao. He nevertheless made consistent progress and that’s important. We are confident as we head into the first race weekend of the season.”
“Yesterday was very positive, in that we completed a great deal of work. Today got off to a good start, but unfortunately, once fresh tyres were put in, I was unable to improve as much as could have due to traffic on track. I didn’t feel too good today either; I think I have some sort of food poisoning, but it shouldn’t last long. All things considered, the test has gone well, which means that we’re feeling optimistic ahead of the season-opener.”
“We’ve made significant progress over the last two days, particularly in the final session, and despite only making a few laps. We worked on the setup and electronics and didn’t use the soft tyre due to rain just before the final session. This is why we’re not as high up the standings as we should have been. I’m pleased with what we’ve got done and the way the team has worked, and I think we can do well in the first races of this 2025 season.”
