BSB confirms pre-season test schedule

Bennetts British Superbike championship organisers have announced the official pre-season test dates with two trips to European tracks plus a final day preparation at Silverstone before the circuit hosts the 2019 opener.

BSB teams will head to Spain’s Monteblanco near Sevilla for the first pre-season test which stretches between March 13-15 before heading to Portugal for the second test at Portimao on March 17-18.

The final official pre-season test takes place at Silverstone on April 9, 10 days before the 2019 season begins at the Northamptonshire circuit on Easter weekend (April 19-21).

“Pre-season testing has traditionally seen a variety of different programmes from the Superbike teams, but this year there will be a concise format of official tests which will bring the competition closer and also give the teams a better environment to get their pre-season preparations underway,” Series boss Stuart Higgs said.

“This year we have the biggest grid shakeup in recent years with the exciting prospect of new team and rider combinations and that makes these tests even more crucial ahead of the opening round of the season at Silverstone.”

The tests will provide the first official outing for the new Ducati V4 Panigale and new BMW S1000RR in BSB-specification for the respective squads running the Italian and German machinery in 2019. BSB teams are banned from testing between January 1st and the first BSB test.

A number of teams including JG Speedfit Kawasaki completed post-season tests at the end of last year to give its new riders an initial feeler, while Be Wiser Ducati duo Scott Redding and Josh Brookes received their first experience on the new Ducati V4 challenger at private and media test days in Jerez last November.