WorldSBK: Who’s testing where and when in the month of March

With two WorldSBK pre-season tests already in the bag, three more are set to take place in March ahead of April’s Official Dorna organised test. 

Kawasaki, Honda, Ducati and current world champions Yamaha have already taken to the track in 2022, while BMW are set to join them during March testing. 

The latest test to have taken place was a two day event in Portimao which saw reigning world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu get his title defence underway. 

And it was in some style too as the Pata Yamaha rider set a new all-time WorldSBK lap record around the Algarve International Circuit.  

A time of 1:39.619s was two tenths clear of 2021 title rival Jonathan Rea, while another six tenths quicker than his pole position time from last season which remains the official lap record. 

Speaking of Rea, the Kawasaki rider was taking part in his second test of 2022 after making a half day appearance at Jerez last month. 

Honda, who have a brand new line-up of Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge for this upcoming season, took part in that same January test at Jerez, before conducting their own private tests at Portimao and Jerez. 

Like Pata Yamaha, Ducati made their first testing appearance of 2022 at Portimao as Aruba.it Racing Ducati, GoEleven Ducati and Barni Spark Racing were all in attendance. 

In regards to March, the first of three testing opportunities takes place at MotorLand Aragon on the 3rd and 4th. 

Razgatlioglu, Andrea Locatelli, GRT Yamaha riders Garrett Gerloff, Kohta Nozane and Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha rider Christophe Ponsson will all be in action for the Japanese manufacturer. 

Following that is a two day test at Misano which will see BMW in action for the first time this year. All four of its riders including Scott Redding, Michael Van Der Mark, Loris Baz and Eugene Laverty will be riding.

Joining the German manufacturer will be Alvaro Bautista and Michael Rinaldi from the Aruba.it Ducati team, while independent riders Philipp Oettl, Luca Bernardi, Axel Bassani, Lucas Mahias and Ponsson will also be on-track. 

The final test of the month will see Rea and Alex Lowes back in action alongside Razgatlioglu, Locatelli, Gerloff, Nozane, all four BMW riders, Oettl and Mahias. 

Also taking place next month will be the unveiling of Aruba.it Racing Ducati, KRT, Pata Yamaha and GRT Yamaha’s 2022 bikes, which follows on from Team HRC who have already become the first to showcase their new colours. 

The factory Ducati team will unveil their livery on March 15th, while KRT will do the same eight days later (March 23rd). 

Pata and GRT Yamaha will both showcase their colours on the same day as the Barcelona test - March (25th).