WorldSBK Phillip Island testing LIVE: Day 2
00:17
00:03
Jake Dixon's Wrist Injury
Jake Dixon's racing career took a turn for the worse as he suffered a fractured left wrist and an elbow contusion during the testing session. This injury has ruled him out of the season opener this weekend, leaving both Honda HRC riders absent. Teammate and fellow rookie Somkiat Chantra, who was already recovering from a training injury, will now be the sole representative for the team.
Stefano Manzi, who brought out red flags on the final morning due to an accident at Turn 2, has been declared fit to continue.
23:48
Top 10 Times
The current top ten riders are: Nicolo Bulega, Axel Bassani, Sam Lowes, Lorenzo Baldassarri, Yari Montella, Miguel Oliveira, Xavi Vierge, Alex Lowes, Alvaro Bautista, and Alberto Surra.
23:44
Miguel Oliveira's Progress
With Jake Dixon sidelined, fellow rookie Miguel Oliveira has made significant progress. He currently sits in sixth place on the timesheets with a 1m 29.676s, almost one second faster than his time on Monday.
23:42
Jake Dixon's Absence
As of half-an-hour into FP3, Jake Dixon has yet to set a lap time after crashing on his first flying lap of the day. He is undergoing medical checks, and it is hoped that he can return for the final afternoon session.
23:30
Bulega's Impressive Performance
Nicolo Bulega is setting the pace with a 1m 28.880s, putting him 0.493s ahead of Axel Bassani. He is aiming to break the 1m 28.824s pole position record set last year and his own fastest lap record of 1m 28.564s.
23:29
Red Flags and Sector Times
After a brief red flag period due to a crash involving Stefano Manzi, Nicolo Bulega returned to the track and set red sectors, suggesting a potential sub-1m 28s lap time.
23:24
Xavi Vierge Joins the 1m 29s Club
Xavi Vierge, a new Yamaha rider, has joined the 1m 29s club with the fifth-fastest lap time, but he is over 0.7s behind Bulega.
23:20
Bulega's Next Targets
Nicolo Bulega's next targets are the 1m 28.824s pole position and his own fastest lap record of 1m 28.564s. Breaking his all-time lap record of 1m 27.916s will be a significant challenge, but he is determined to push the boundaries.
23:00
Bulega Sets the New Best
Nicolo Bulega broke away with a 1m 29.086s on his 12th lap of the day, putting him 0.287s ahead of Axel Bassani.
22:58
Lorenzo Baldassarri Joins the P1 Battle
Lorenzo Baldassarri has joined the P1 battle, with four riders now covered by 0.04s. He jumped into 4th place with a 1m 29.413s.
22:55
Bulega and Sam Lowes in the 1m 29s
Nicolo Bulega and Sam Lowes are both in the 1m 29s, needing to find less than 0.04s to beat Axel Bassani's best lap time of the day.
22:50
Bimotas Return to the Track
Test leader Axel Bassani and his teammate Alex Lowes returned to the track, with the Englishman providing a useful target for the Italian. However, Bastianini immediately pitted again.
Meanwhile, Nicolo Bulega and Sam Lowes, between the Bimotas on the timesheets, resumed their positions.
22:47
Fastest for Each Brand
At the moment, Ducati and Bimota are dominating the top seven positions:
- Axel Bassani, Bimota, 1m 29.373s
- Nicolo Bulega, Ducati, 1m 29.406s
- Xavi Vierge, Yamaha, 1m 30.131s
- Garrett Gerloff, Kawasaki, 1m 30.309s
- Danilo Petrucci, BMW, 1m 30.407s
- Tetsuta Nagashima, Honda, 1m 31.634s
22:44
All 22 Riders on Track
All 22 riders have now been on the track, although Jake Dixon has yet to set a lap time after his earlier fall.
22:38
Bassani Maintains the Lead
Bulega's run ended with a time 0.033s behind Axel Bassani's lead.
Top six: Axel Bassani, Nicolo Bulega, Sam Lowes, Alex Lowes, Iker Lecuona, Alvaro Bautista.
22:35
Bulega Climbs to Second
Bulega increased his pace and moved into second place with a 1m 29.406s.
22:32
New Test Best for Bassani
Axel Bassani responded with his fastest lap of the week, posting a 1m 29.373s.
Bulega, however, is already up to third place.
22:27
Sam Lowes Takes the Lead
Sam Lowes outperformed his brother Alex with a 1m 29.412s on his third lap of the day. He is 0.4s ahead of the field and just a fraction behind Bulega's Monday best.
22:26
Iker Lecuona, Sam Lowes, and Alberto Surra are on the track. Bulega is among those still in the pits.
22:23
Steady Start to Day Two
Day two has started steadily, with only nine riders setting lap times so far. While the Bimotas are in the '29s, Miguel Oliveira is in third place with a '31.2s time.
