The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season is getting closer with a two-day test at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto getting underway on Tuesday with a damp track, with running limited in the early stages of the test. Rookies got their first taste of WorldSBK action as on-track preparations for the 2021 season started getting underway.

First out of the box was reigning Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who ventured out for two laps onto the damp track although soon returned to the pits, everyone else staying in their box and waiting for the track to dry as the sun broke through in Andalusia; although Rea did suffer an issue at Turn 12 less than an hour into the session. Teammate Alex Lowes also suffered a mechanical issue in the early stages of the session after completing just a handful of laps. Both were able to return to the track a couple of hours into the test despite their issues.

There was a focus on rear grip throughout the morning in cooler conditions for Turkish star Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) as well as searching for grip on the angle. He also tested some new Brembo callipers throughout the morning as preparations for 2021 continued; Razgatlioglu running a black bike as Yamaha looked to know more about the direction of the bike for 2021. Razgatlioglu was joined by new teammate Andrea Locatelli as the 2020 WorldSSP Champion rode alongside the Turkish star for the first time since joining the Yamaha factory outfit.

Team HRC was present at the test with both Leon Haslam and Alvaro Bautista taking part, with a focus on electronics throughout. The data will then be sent to Japan to be evaluated before a direction taken for a future test. Both riders took to the track about an hour into the session as they looked to gain valuable data.

Belgian Loris Cresson (OUTDO Kawasaki TPR) went into the test with the aim of completing laps as he looks to adjust to the Kawasaki ZX-10RR following a season in WorldSSP, as well as hoping to talk to Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Isaac Viñales (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura); all three riders making the switch from WorldSSP to WorldSBK for 2021. Viñales was the second to venture out on track as he adjusted to a World Superbike machine following his move to WorldSBK after an impressive WorldSSP campaign, the Spanish rider putting in the most laps in the early stages before returning to his box.

Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) was delayed in getting out for the first time due to a Red Flag as he left to take to the track for the first time on WorldSBK machinery; the Yamaha YZF R1 coming to a halt in the pit lane. The Japanese rider was able to take to the track shortly afterwards as both Nozane and teammate Garrett Gerloff did work on both the 2019 and 2020 machines; Gerloff fastest after the morning action while Nozane did more laps than anyone else.

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