"The tyres are lasting the best that they ever have since I have been in Phillip Island..."

For the second year in a row, the World Superbike races at Phillip Island will feature a pit stop.

The reason that was given by Gregorio Lavilla, WorldSBK Executive Director, for the decision was that Phillip Island 'presents unique challenges due to its surface and rapidly changing weather'.

However, ahead of the season opener in Australia, the riders were able to complete a two-day test. After the opening day bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team rider, Alex Lowes, was left puzzled by the pit stop rule.

"I didn't use many tyres, my best lap was with 10 laps on the tyres," Lowes told WorldSBK.com after the opening day of the Phillip Island Test.

"Looking at the sheet maybe the other guys are the same, the times aren't really dropping, which I was surprised about.

"We have the pit stop, but it looks like the tyres are lasting the best that they ever have since I have been in Phillip Island.

"It's strange that we do the pit stop, I think everybody across ten laps will be very fast. It is going to be close, it is going to be tight, and we have a few days to prepare for battle."