British SuperBike Test

British Superbike test days are a strange beast. Once free, they now cost £16 on the gate. While that’s not a huge amount, it’s still a lot more than free. Yet fans continue to turn up in their droves for what is essentially a track day on steroids. Why is this?

One reason could be that most fans have cameras in hand — from top-of-the-range professional gear to smartphones — all hoping to capture that perfect shot of their favourite rider.

The PistonClick team joined the throng of camera-toting spectators, also chasing “that picture.” That’s one reason. Secondly, we — along with the sizeable crowd — wanted to see the BSB teams and their new liveries for the first time this season. Although, as is often the case, many teams ran black fairings. This is standard procedure for pre-season testing, so we’ll likely have to wait until the next test day to see the full designs.

The final reason is simply to be part of it — and “it” is arguably the best domestic motorcycle racing championship in the UK, if not the world. So why did I personally attend? All of the above — plus the chance to spend a Friday trackside watching the best riders in the UK at a British Superbike Test. For me, that’s hard to beat as a bit of relatively cheap motorsport entertainment.

BSB Testing – Is It Worth Going?

These test days can be a bit hit and miss. I’ve attended several where track action was limited, and a few where nothing happened at all due to the weather. April is famously unpredictable — “April showers,” as the saying goes. Thomas Tusser wrote in 1557, “Sweet April showers do spring May flowers.” So this isn’t a new global warming phenomenon, and it shouldn’t surprise us if a test day ends up being a washout. I can recall two that were effectively cancelled due to snow!

Fortunately, the weather behaved itself over the two days of testing. The showers stayed away but were replaced by very gusty winds. In exposed areas of the circuit, the wind was strong enough to affect my photography — physically moving both me and my camera gear. I even removed my lens hood to compensate.

Now, I’m quite a big chap, so it takes a fair bit to shift me around. This made panning shots at Redgate particularly frustrating. Motorsport photography is all about adapting to the environment — whether it’s wind, rain, or (more often than not) sunshine.

I decided to relocate to a more sheltered position. The Melbourne Loop is a fantastic spot for motorcycle photography and offered protection from the increasingly strong gusts. A friend at Cadwell Park messaged me to say their afternoon sessions had been cancelled due to the wind, so Donington wasn’t alone in being affected.

So, what did I and the rest of the team learn from the first BSB test? Lets take a look at some of the teams that were at the Donington Park British Superbike test.

Nitrous Competitions Racing

The biggest headline was the absence of several Ducati teams. Their machines simply weren’t ready in time. This affected the Nitrous Competitions Racing squad, which fields two-time BSB Champion Kyle Ryde and Glenn Irwin. Neither rider appeared on track with the new factory-supported Ducati.

Ryde did take to the circuit, but on his personal, stripped-down Ducati road bike. He certainly looked impressive — carrying more lean angle than many others through the corners. Did it make him faster? Not particularly. But he looked confident, relaxed, and made good use of his track time.

PBM Racing

The PBM Racing Team were another Ducati unit absent from the 2026 Donington Park test. Scott Redding is set to race for them in 2026 and is expected to appear at the Oulton Park test — assuming the factory completes the bikes in time.

AJN Steelstock

One standout performer was #30 Max Cook with the AJN Steelstock team. Having switched from Kawasaki to the new Bimota KB998 Rimini Superbike, the change appears to suit him well.

Cook topped the combined times with a best lap of 1:27.184. The Bimota is new to BSB but has already seen action in World Superbikes. Factory support was evident, with WSBK crew chief Marcel Duinker and factory rider Alex Lowes present. With that level of experience in the garage, both Cook and teammate #19 Joe Talbot had plenty of expertise to draw upon.

Cheshire Mouldings

Danny Kent secured second overall, just 0.285 seconds behind Cook. Now riding the Yamaha R1 for Cheshire Mouldings, Kent — alongside teammate Rory Skinner — looks highly competitive.

Skinner topped the fifth session with a 1:27.499, placing third overall over the two days. The Yamaha R1 package, combined with the Cheshire Mouldings team, appears strong heading into the season.

Honda Racing UK

Honda Racing UK made a distinct impression at the test with me. Their bikes sported a great looking livery, and the riders were fully kitted out in race leathers — a clear sign of intent.

Honda has invested heavily this season, and it shows. Jason O’Halloran and Ryan Vickers have both returned to BSB, bringing talent and determination to the Championship. Vickers finished fourth overall, while O’Halloran placed 13th.

LEW 8TEN Racing

Peter Hickman and Davey Todd, who co-own LEW 8TEN Racing, didn’t get off to a memorable start to the season. Todd crashed in qualifying for the Daytona 200, that accident led to multiple injuries, including a broken femur, tibia, foot, and nose. His injuries meant Todd was unavailable for Donington Park.

Sylvain Guintoli stepped in to shake down the BMW 1000RR; unfortunately, he had a low side at Gerrard’s. Hickman sat out the final test session on Friday after issues with the bike but completed the Saturday testing.

DAO Racing

By far the best-looking bikes, so far, are the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblades of DAO Racing. Lee Jackson was 14th fastest overall, with two-time BSB Champion Josh Brookes just inside the top ten at 9th. After a private test in Spain, DAO Racing arrived at Donington with some good base settings. Different parts were utilised during the test, most notably a different swingarm.

McAMS Yamaha

No BSB test report would be complete without mentioning Bradley Ray. Now back with McAMS Yamaha and reunited with the Yamaha R1, Ray looked sharp throughout the test.

Last year’s championship runner-up topped the second session on Friday and consistently demonstrated strong pace and smooth riding style. He finished fifth overall and looks set to be a serious contender as he was last year.

Overall Impression

The picture from Donington is somewhat split. Honda, Yamaha, BMW, and other established teams treated the test as a genuine start to the season. Meanwhile, Ducati teams were largely absent, focusing on preparation back in Italy. This creates a slightly skewed picture, as some expected frontrunners have yet to show their hand.

Test days may not provide definitive answers about the season ahead—testing rarely does—but it sets the tone.

We’ll have to wait for the Oulton Park test (21–22 April) to get a clearer idea of the competitive order for 2026 — if there is one at all. Personally, I hope the championship remains as close it has in recent years, often decided at the final round.

Is It Worth It?

So, is a British Superbike test day worth attending?

For me — and the rest of the team — the answer is a resounding yes. Even with absent teams and no racing, the sights and sounds of top-class riders on superbikes are more than enough to shake off the winter blues. The next test will be at Oulton Park 21 – 22 April 2026.

British Superbike Test Donington Park (Combined Times)

1	Max Cook	AJN Steelstock Bimota	1:27.184
2	Danny Kent	Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha	+0.285s
3	Rory Skinner	Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha	+0.315s
4	Ryan Vickers	Honda Racing UK	+0.409s
5	Bradley Ray	McAMS Yamaha	+0.454s
6	Kyle Ryde	Non-BSB Spec Ducati	+0.463s
7	Andrew Irwin	MET fonaCAB Racing	+0.472s
8	Christian Iddon	Sencat Racing Yamaha	+0.512s
9	Josh Brookes	DAO Racing Honda	+0.759s
10	Leon Haslam	Moto Rapido Racing	+0.819s

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Thanks to Scott Grant and RPW Photography for the images used in this report. All of our other British SuperBike reports from 2018 – 2026 can be found by following the link below.