TEST PREVIEW: The WorldWCR and WorldSPB fields are all set for testing at Portimao
The world’s fastest women on two wheels and the paddock’s newest class are ready for action in their season opener!
Portugal’s Autodromo Internacional do Algarve is making preparations to host the biggest weekend of racing seen so far this season, as all four Championships ride into Portimao. The FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship is currently setting up shop in the paddock for their 2026 season opener, as well as the FIM Sportbike World Championship, who are making their preparations for the first season in the Championship’s history. Before the drama unfolds on March 27th, with the first day of the racing weekend, both fields will get set for a test event on the preceding Monday, March 23rd. The event will be split into 25-30-minute sessions alternating by category to accommodate the large number of riders across both Championships. Get an idea of who and what to look out for at their test at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve.
A THIRD CAMPAIGN BEGINS: WorldWCR testing at Portimao
Featuring at the test will be defending Champion Maria Herrera who made an offseason move to join the Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR team. Beatriz Nelia remains with her Ampito Crescent Yamaha outfit and now looks to complete her quest for the title she so nearly completed last season, after pushing Herrera to the final race of the season. Chloe Jones (Monster Energy Crescent Yamaha) has a new team for this season and will take advantage of the test to build continuity with them ahead of the 2026 season. WorldWCR’s first 25-minute session of the day kicks off on Monday at 9:40 (Local Time UTC +0) and runs until 10:05. They return at 10:55 for FP2, 12:10 for FP3, 14:55 for FP4, 16:10 for FP5, and 17:25 for FP6.
WORLD SPORTBIKE’S FIRST TEST: Six brands, 33 riders, one dream
A new Championship will ride out on track for the first time on Monday as the World Sportbike joins the paddock in 2026. The Championship provides an entry point to the WorldSBK paddock geared towards younger riders while providing a truly unique and hotly competitive field with a variety of teams and bikes. 2025 WorldSSP300 Champion Benat Fernandez (Kove Racing Team 109) sticks with the Chinese manufacturer who powered him to his first title, and he will hope to find pace at the test to face off once again against David Salvador, who similarly stays with his Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI squad and Australian Carter Thompson (Team BrCorse), who moves to Yamaha machinery. Returning to the WorldSBK paddock for the first time since 2020, Aprilia and their RS 660 Factory machine will be piloted at the test by riders like the talented Matteo Vannucci (Revo-M2), and for the first time since 2023, Suzuki will compete in the form of their GSX-8R, ridden among others by two-time WorldSSP300 Champion Jeffrey Buis (Track & Trades Wixx Racing). WorldSPB will kick off the day at 9:00 for their first 30-minute session of the day. Following that session, they will return at 10:15 for FP2, 11:30 for FP3, 12:45 for FP4, 14:15 for FP5, 15:30 for FP6, and 16:45 for FP7.
Get set for 2026 by subscribing to the WorldSBK VideoPass to access full WorldSPB content, and subscribe to the WorldWCR YouTube channel and follow the Championship on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
