One of two WorldSBK rookies making their first appearance of 2023 - the other being MIE Honda rider Eric Granado - Bradley Ray made a solid start aboard the Motoxracing Yamaha as he finished 2.7s down on Michael Ruben Rinaldi.
Less than a week after the opening WorldSBK test of 2023 at Jerez, the action ramps up again with another two-day test at Portimao, beginning on Tuesday.
The 2023 WorldSBK campaign will feature multiple world champions, a MotoGP race winner and a reigning British Superbike champion, but what should we expect from a very high-profile rookie line-up?
After ten full seasons in Moto3, John McPhee will take part in his first WorldSSP campaign with Kawasaki in 2023, ahead of trying to secure a move to WorldSBK.
After initially being declared unfit for race two of the WorldSSP championship at Most, Dominique Aegerter was instead given a race ban due to ‘simulating a medical situation’ in an attempt to have Saturday’s race one red-flagged.
Nicolo Bulega expects a 'tough' WorldSSP campaign with returning Ducati, while fellow rookie Lorenzo Baldassarri has clear goals in mind; 'I think I will go with the championship as the main focus'.
Despite Nicolo Bulega breaking the current Portimao WorldSSP lap record during a recent test, Ducati Team Manager, Serafino Foti, believes Yamaha remains the favourites.
Niki Tuuli will return for a second WorldSSP season with MV Agusta in 2022, while Bahattin Sofuoglu makes the step-up from WorldSSP300 alongside the Finn.
Franco Morbidelli doesn’t come across as your average motorcycle racer. Smiling, laid back and rarely flustered in front of the camera, his demeanour doesn’t always speak of the usual fiercely driven individual with eyes on the ultimate prize.