Positive wet weather verdict from new BMW WorldSBK riders

The January WorldSBK test at Jerez brought sodden track conditions for the first day of testing of 2026, but for Danilo Petrucci and Miguel Oliveira this presented an opportunity.

Both move onto the BMW M1000 RR for the first time in the 2026 World Superbike season, and after dry weather at the Jerez test last November the weather on day one of the January test gave a chance to try to the bike in the wet for the first time.

For Danilo Petrucci, the day was mixed: fastest by 1.2 seconds, but also a crash.

“Sincerely, it was not the best day on the weather side, but at the end it was good to take some laps on the new bike,” said the Italian, speaking to WorldSBK.com.

“First time on the wet, so it was, let’s say, useful to ride and I must say it’s really a good bike on the wet, I felt immediately good and in fact I was always leading the time sheet. 

“I’m really happy about it, [also] because the feelings are really good on the wet.

“Unfortunately, I crashed, but I was still fastest, so I’m happy. I hope the weather will improve for tomorrow.”

Petrucci’s crash happened at the final corner. He explained it was because the front tyre was too cold.

“It was the first lap with a new set of tyres,” he said, “but maybe the tyres were not really ready, also because there was a strong wind and a lot of water on track, and maybe the front tyre was not really hot, not really in good condition. 

“But, anyway, what I keep is the good feeling I have and I must be happy.”

Miguel Oliveira had a similarly positive first impression of the BMW in wet conditions, which was also his first time riding Pirelli tyres in the wet.

“It was a first experience on the wet for me with the BMW bike,” he told WorldSBK.com. 

“It was, at the end, some positives out of a half-day. For sure, the speed and the way I felt with the bike was already quite uplifting for us. 

“The sensations were quite good, at the end no crashes, and finished a couple of laps with a good feeling, so that was the target that we could achieve in a half-day.”

He added: “We just tried to get a base setting for me in the wet and also for me to use at least a set of Pirelli race tyres because I’d never ridden on them. 

“It was a little bit ‘first experiences’ for me, but we could at least get a good base setting, just a little bit electronics – just the normal stuff when you are the first time on these conditions.”