Confirmed 2022 pre-season WorldSBK testing schedule
Here’s a closer look at the confirmed 2022 pre-season testing schedule for WorldSBK teams and riders.
Six official tests have been confirmed ahead of April’s season opener in Aragon, the first of which gets underway before the end of the month.
On the 26-27 of January, WorldSBK rookies Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge will be in action for Team HRC, as is the case for Puccetti Kawasaki rider Lucas Mahias who makes his return to track action for the first time in four months.
The test is organised by the official Kawasaki Racing Team which means six-time world champion Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes will also be in attendance.
The lone test for February (8-9) will see Ducati, Yamaha and Kawasaki all take to the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao. That means Alvaro Bautista, Michael Rinaldi, world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu, Andrea Locatelli, Rea and Lowes will all be on-track for the two-day event, along with Ducati rookie Luca Bernardi.
Three tests will take place in March with the first of those at MotorLand Aragon. Teams and riders will then head to Misano on March 17-19, before another two-day test in Catalunya on March 25-26.
The Misano test will be headlined by BMW riders Scott Redding and Michael Van Der Mark, while GRT Yamaha riders Garrett Gerloff and Kohta Nozane will also be in action at both Aragon and Misano.
Bautista and Rinaldi will take part in the Misano test as well, however, unlike BMW they’re scheduled for just two out of the three days.
Ducati will again be in attendance for the Catalunya test, as will Razgatlioglu and Locatelli for Pata Yamaha, Gerloff and Nozane and all four BMW riders.
The final outing for teams and riders will take place on April 4-5 which is an official Dorna organised test, meaning the entire grid will be in action a week before the season opener.
Here’s the full list of dates:
January 26-27: Jerez
February 8-9: Portimao
March 3-4: Aragon
March 15-17: Misano
March 25-26: Catalunya
April 4-5: Aragon
