Nicolo Bulega was once again the rider to beat as WorldSBK testing resumed with the first of two days spent at Portimao in Portugal, the rookie leading Toprak Razgatlioglu and Remy Gardner on a close timesheet.

The Italian - runaway WorldSSP Champion in 2023 - stunned the WorldSBK regulars in Jerez last week by topping the timesheets on both days with lap record-breaking pace and would prove in similarly devastating form on the title-winning Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R as action got underway in Portugal.

Setting a benchmark lap time of 1m 39.913secs - making him the only rider to dip below the 1m 40secs mark - Bulega was run closer around the Algarve track than he was in Jerez with Toprak Razgatlioglu showing encouraging form on the ROKiT BMW M 1000 RR to slot in less than a tenth adrift of his new rival.

Jonathan Rea rounded out the top three on the best of the factory Pata PROMETEON Yamaha R1s after an improvement just prior to the flag, chased by Remy Gardner in fourth place. The Australian is having to take on the heavy lifting for the GYTR GRT squad after a viral infection forced team-mate Dominique Aegerter out of action once again.

In fifth, Andrea Locatelli was another to make a late improvement, ahead of Sam Lowes, who continued to make an eye-catching transition to WorldSBK competition with the sixth fastest time, the Briton less than half-a-second off the pace aboard the satellite Marc VDS Ducati.

In seventh was Michael van der Mark on the second of the ROKiT BMW, ahead of Alvaro Bautista, the defending champion putting in a more representative showing as he continues on the recovery trail from a neck injury sustained in post-season testing in November.

Alex Lowes, who was the best of the Kawasaki riders despite technical issues in tenth, while Bradley Ray - having missed last week's Jerez test - made a positive first impression for 2024 by posting the 11th fastest time of the 23 riders present.

All riders that are due to compete in the 2024 WorldSBK Championship are present in Portugal, with the exception of the unwell Aegerter, as well as Petronas MIE Racing Honda duo Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin.

2024 WorldSBK Pre-season Testing Results, Portimao [Day 1 of 2]