Bimota WorldSBK team boss Guim Roda has reiterated the importance of this month’s two preseason tests in Spain and Portugal for the Italian brand, which enters its second season in the championship with its KB998 motorcycle.

WorldSBK returns to the track this week with a test in Jerez on 21–22 January. It’s followed by a Portimao test next week on 28–29 January, before the final test of the preseason in Australia on 16–17 February.

Bimota Team Manager Guim Roda explained that the two European tests this month will be important for Bimota to understand its specification for the start of the season at Phillip Island a few days after that final test.

“These January tests, first in Jerez and then in Portimao, are quite important because this is the time that we basically receive many of the parts that we will have for the beginning of the season in Australia,” he said.

“Wintertime is used to produce a lot of the ideas that we have been testing or requesting during the previous season. 

“At the end of the previous year, in October or November, we test on track in a kind of prototype mode. Now we produce a quantity of things and the idea in the next days is to use them to basically start to work 100 per cent on setup. 

“That means: how to extract the maximum from all those solutions and parts we asked for, to be as ready as possible for the first round. So, these next days are important. 

“It is also a time for the riders to get used to racetrack activity once more, because in WorldSBK the riders do not have so many opportunities to ride on track.”

For Alex Lowes, one of the main concerns ahead of the weekend is the weather, which looks to be nailed on for rain on both days of the test in Jerez, but the British rider is hopeful of continuing to work on things he tried in November.

“I am looking forward to getting started again on the KB998 Rimini,” Lowes said.

“The weather can always play its part in these initial January tests. The forecast does not look great, but whatever track time we can use, our target is to firstly confirm a few things that we tried in the November test. 

“We have a few new ideas, especially with the setting of the bike. Pere, my crew chief, has been analysing all the data from 2025, trying to see if we can use a bit more of the acceleration of the bike. 

“We have some new parts to try from Showa and also some new electronics - which is a constant evolution. The first thing is to have a shakedown after the winter break to get back into it. I am looking forward to being back together with the guys and starting off our 2026 season.”

Axel Bassani added that with little time before the first race on 20–22 February it will be important to start the year well in Jerez.

“We are heading to the first test of the new year and I am hoping we will go in a good way there, and that we can work well,” he said.

“It feels like quite a short winter, but in the end, I am really happy to start again, work with the team, and jump on my KB998 Rimini on the track. 

“It is only the first test of 2026, so it is important to get the correct feeling on the bike again.

“Then we will work on what we need and try to improve as much as we can before the first round in Australia. That will be in one month from now, so there is not a lot of time.”