WINTER TEST | PHILLIP ISLAND
February 17, 2026
A positive start for the Barni Spark Racing Team in the opening round of the 2026 WorldSBK season at Phillip Island. Sunny skies and ideal track conditions set the stage for the first two free practice sessions on one of the fastest and most technical circuits on the calendar.
From the very beginning, steady progress was evident.
Álvaro built his pace lap by lap: from an initial 1:30.011, he moved down to 1:29.882 and 1:29.815, closing the session eighth with a 1:29.710 (+0.852).
In the afternoon, FP2 confirmed the potential Bautista who climbed up to fourth with a 1:29.482.
The session was interrupted by a red flag with 27 minutes to go due to a kangaroo on track, but it did not affect the team’s planned program.
However, the standings do not fully reflect the team’s day. The goal was not to chase a single fast lap, but to focus on long runs and race pace. Alvaro worked on setup changes to improve his feeling with the bike, testing the Pirelli evolution tire and comparing it with the standard compound to gather valuable data ahead of the final race choice.
The indications from Friday are positive, with further improvements still to unlock.
Attention now turns to tomorrow’s first Superpole of the season (3:00 AM CET), followed by Race 1 (6:00 AM CET).
#THERECONQUEST
ALVARO BAUTISTA
“It was a day of continuous work. After analyzing the test references, we made some adjustments to the bike to improve my feeling and the setup. We found solutions that allowed me to ride better and feel more comfortable on the bike, but I don’t think I’m yet at the level I’d like and I still don’t feel completely at ease. We need to keep working: we collected data, tested the Pirelli evolution tire, and compared it with the standard compound, and now we have more information to make the best choice for the race”.
