Jake Dixon experienced mixed weather conditions at the opening World Superbike Championship test of the season as he began preparations for his debut campaign last week.

Riding his Honda Fireblade for only the second time following a November test at this same Spanish track, British rider Dixon did his best to build on the progress made during that first outing. Cold temperatures and persistent rain throughout Wednesday made for a problematic first day, but a determined Jake did what he could despite the conditions, working closely with his technicians until about 4pm.

Weather conditions improved on Thursday, although lingering damp patches meant that neither the Honda HRC rider nor the test team were able to ride until around 2pm. On an almost dry track, Dixon used the early part of the afternoon to work his way through as many test items as possible, with a particular focus on the bike’s geometry and electronics setup, until rain returned and put an end to the work soon after 4pm.

Dixon was joined on track by Honda HRC test rider, Tetsuta Nagashima, who stood in for the absent Chantra, as well as by six-time WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea, who was on track for the first time in his capacity as Honda HRC test rider. Both Nagashima and Rea provided valuable support and feedback to the test team, contributing positively to ongoing bike development as the factory squad prepares for the opening round of the season.

Speaking after the test session, Dixon said: “We have just completed the two-day test here and conditions were far from ideal. The first day was almost a complete washout, with very limited track time, although it was still useful for me to make some laps in the wet and start building confidence with the bike. Even from one run to the next I felt more comfortable, which was positive.

“Today we only had a couple of hours in mixed conditions before the rain returned, which was frustrating, especially as a rookie in Superbike where track time is extremely important. We clearly need more laps, but despite the conditions I already feel more comfortable than I did in November, and the work done on the geometry and setup has been a good step forward.

“There are still a few areas to improve, including my riding position, electronics, and overall feeling with the bike, but that is all part of the process. Having Jonathan (Rea) and Tetsuta (Nagashima) alongside us is a huge asset; their experience and feedback bring a lot of motivation and energy to the whole team. Looking ahead to the next test, the goal is simply to keep working on everything, step by step, and hopefully make better use of the available days if the weather allows.”

Images courtesy of Honda World Superbike Team