Jerez test: Sam Lowes leads, Honda unveils new Fireblade in camouflage

Preparations for the 2027 Superbike World Championship have begun. At the first test following the season finale in Jerez, BMW, Honda and Ducati were represented by their riders on Thursday. They were joined by a number of Supersport teams. In sunny conditions and summery temperatures of 25 degrees, the teams made the most of the test organised by Honda.

In the late afternoon, Sam Lowes took the lead with a lap time of 1:38.790. The Marc VDS Ducati rider thus beat Miguel Oliveira’s previous best time by 0.527 seconds. The BMW works rider had completed the circuit in 1:39.317 minutes.

Times significantly slower than on Pirelli tyres

The times were still significantly slower than the levels recently achieved on Pirelli tyres. By way of comparison: Nicolo Bulega’s pole position record stands at 1:36.629 minutes, whilst his fastest race lap was 1:37.196 minutes.

However, given the team’s work with the new Michelin tyres, different brakes and further-developed motorbikes, these gaps should be viewed with caution. The initial focus was on gaining experience and establishing a technical foundation for the coming season.

Honda attracted the most attention

Honda attracted a great deal of attention. Alongside regular riders Jake Dixon and Somkiat Chantra, star test rider Jonathan Rea was also in action. The six-time world champion rode the 2027 Fireblade – which had not yet been publicly unveiled – in a camouflage livery.

Despite the camouflage, new aero elements were visible at the front and on the sides. Notably, Honda is now using air ducts on the side fairings, modelled on MotoGP, just like Ducati. The front wings have also been redesigned. This first appearance therefore gives an impression of just how intensively HRC is working on the next stage of development.

For Honda, the switch to Michelin tyres is accompanied by another fundamental change. The new Brembo carbon brakes, which will be used as standard from 2027, were also fitted. Whilst the competition was already using Brembo, Honda was the only manufacturer to use Nissin brakes in 2026. Dixon, Chantra and the engineers must therefore also adapt to a new brake supplier.

BMW with Oliveira and van der Mark

Alongside Oliveira, BMW fielded test rider Michael van der Mark. New signing Brad Binder is still absent: the South African must first complete the 2026 MotoGP season before he can devote himself to his new role. This weekend, Binder is competing for KTM in the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.

Among other things, BMW’s work centred on the chassis for 2027. It is designed to provide riders with more feedback, thereby making it easier for them to exploit the full potential of the M1000RR. The direction of development is reminiscent of the Super Concessions chassis used until the end of 2024, which featured reduced stiffness. Greater feel when leaning into corners is seen as a key approach to giving riders greater confidence.

Lowes takes to the track with the new Michelin tyres for the first time

Lowes tried out the Michelin tyres for the first time. The Briton, who had put in a strong performance at the season finale in Jerez, was thus able to compare his own impressions with the expectations he’d previously formed based on discussions and feedback from other riders. He also made an immediate impact by setting the fastest lap so far.

There was also an interesting debut in the Supersport class: Jeremy Alcoba rode the Yamaha R9 from Albert Arenas’s world championship-winning team for the first time. The former Kawasaki rider is thus beginning preparations for his new role immediately following his strong end-of-season run. Aldi Mahendra also took part in testing at Jerez. Michelin will also be the supplier of standard tyres for the Supersport World Championship.

Another day of testing follows on Friday. The weather forecast promises good conditions once again. Further testing sessions are planned for late November and early December in Jerez and Valencia.

Times from the Superbike World Championship test at Jerez, Thursday (22 October):

1. Sam Lowes (GB), Ducati, 1:38.790 min

2. Miguel Oliveira (P), BMW, +0.527 sec

3. Jonathan Rea (GB), Honda, +0.927

4. Somkiat Chantra (THA), Honda, +1.330

5. Jake Dixon (GB), Honda, +1.350

6. Michael van der Mark (NL), BMW, +1.790