Biaggi debut headlines 'Island test.

Biaggi, who hasn't ridden a Superbike since splitting from Alstare Suzuki shortly after the end of the 2007 season, will join most of the leading WSBK and WSS teams in testing at the challenging Australian race track from January 8-10.

However, unlike the 'factory' WSBK teams present, the satellite Sterilgarda Go Eleven squad of Biaggi and Ruben Xaus will be running standard Pirelli race tyres, since only one team per manufacturer is supplied development tyres for testing.

In Ducati's case, the factory Xerox team of Troy Bayliss and Michel Fabrizio will again shoulder tyre development - and both riders have already had their first public outing on the new 1098R, during December's Qatar test.

Bayliss was fastest of all at that test, with his new team-mate in the Ducati set-up also proving potent for his first time on an all-new machine. At PI, Bayliss' home track, a considerable amount of local interest will be generated, in readiness for the second round of the 2008 championship on Sunday 2 March - just over one week after the season opener at Qatar on Saturday 23 February.

Also present at Phillip Island will be Yamaha Motor Italia's 2007 title runner-up Noriyuki Haga and team-mate Troy Corser. Had it not been for a couple of falls at the previous Qatar test, Corser would possibly have been fastest of all, such was his prowess on the first and second days. Corser, a two-time world champion, lists Phillip Island as not just his own favourite circuit on the calendar, but the best development track in the world.

In the Kawasaki camp, Phillip Island will allow Regis Laconi and new-signing Makoto Tamada to get their first real impression of how well the all-new 2008 ZX-10R will perform against its rivals. So far they have only tested in an unofficial session in Spain, when both riders claimed to be impressed by the '08 racer.

The Alstare Suzuki team will field a three-man effort in 2008, with Fonsi Nieto and Yukio Kagayama being joined by Max Neukirchner. 2008 is not a new model year for Suzuki in the WSBK class, but the constant stream of machine and tyre development will make the Phillip Island outing an important test.

The only factory supported WSBK team not present 'down under' will be Hannspree Ten Kate Honda, whose new machinery package is still undergoing workshop trials.

However, Ten Kate's WSS outfit will be in attendance, with home star Andrew Pitt heading up the squad while another world champion, Fabien Foret joins the pre-season push alongside long-time Yamaha contender Broc Parkes.

The GIL Kawasaki team, with its new signings Katsuaki Fujiwara and Chris Walker, will also appear at the tests, while the new Triumph Caracchi team will try to carry on the progress made at Qatar. Privateers Stiggy Motorsports Honda will also ride at Phillip Island.