Honda HRC wraps up official testing and gears up for the Phillip Island season opener

The Honda HRC team has been back in action at the Phillip Island Circuit in Australia, taking part in a final two-day winter test with riders Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona. Both riders focused on fine-tuning the CBR1000RR-R, while Lecuona also had to manage his physical condition, which is not yet ideal. Also on track at the test was official Honda HRC tester Tetsuta Nagashima, who will compete as a wildcard in Round 1.

With the 2025 Superbike World Championship set to begin in just a few days at Phillip Island, factory riders Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona, along with official tester Tetsuta Nagashima, took advantage of a final pre-season test on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 February.

Each day comprised two test sessions, alternating with those of the Supersport riders, for a total of four hours on track. Three of the four sessions ran in dry, sunny conditions, which allowed the riders to work closely with their technicians to fine-tune their CBR1000RR-R machines to suit the fast and flowing Australian circuit.

Vierge completed 64 laps already on Monday, the rider soon settling back into his riding and lapping faster in the afternoon than he had in the morning. Feeling comfortable on his bike and working effectively with his technicians, Xavi made good progress throughout the day.

On the other side of the garage, Lecuona, well on the road to recovery but still not 100% after a winter injury, carefully conserved his energy, completing 23 laps on day one. The morning session brought a minor crash for the Spaniard at Turn 6, just minutes from the end. Iker returned to the track for the second session of the day but completed just ten laps before deciding, together with his team, to finish early and rest in preparation for Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the work continued in a similar vein, with both factory riders making the most of the morning session. Vierge completed 33 laps and Lecuona 26. Conditions then changed in the early afternoon as a light drizzle wet the track just enough to discourage almost the entire SBK field from exiting. Vierge and Lecuona were only able to return to the track with around 20 minutes remaining, once the asphalt had dried sufficiently. They completed an additional 7 and 10 laps, respectively, thus bringing the final winter test of the season to a close.

The first WorldSBK round of the season will kick off on Friday, when riders will head out for free practice. Saturday will bring qualifying and Race 1, while the action will continue on Sunday with the Superpole sprint race and the second Superbike race. For this round, both Race 1 and Race 2 will run over a 20-lap distance and follow a flag-to-flag format, as mandated by the FIM and DWO, which have set a maximum limit of 11 laps for the rear tyre in the SBK category.

The Phillip Island Circuit is a firm favourite with most riders and has been a regular fixture on the WorldSBK calendar for many years. Measuring 4.445 km in length and incorporating seven left-hand corners and five right-handers, it is a fast track that makes for spectacular racing.