Hot ambient and track temperatures for the opening race of the 2025 season provided another new challenge for a field of 21 WorldSBK riders, after cooler conditions were in evidence during the recent official tests days, and then the first day of the race weekend itself on Friday 21 February.

In the first Superpole qualifying session of a new era for all inside the BbKRT project, held on Saturday 22 February, Lowes was tenth fastest and Bassani 14th. That put Alex on the fourth row of the grid and Axel on row five.

As the track temperatures rose towards the 16.00 Race One start time in Australia, final preparations were made to the WorldSBK spec BbKRT Rimini to take on the challenge of a two-part 20-lap race.

Pre-race directives from the race organisers meant that mandatory tyre stops were an integral part of everyone’s plans for Race One.

Lowes left the pitlane marginally early after his pitstop and he received a 0.6 second addition to his total race time as a result. It did not affect his final overall placing of eighth.

Bassani, like Lowes, made a solid start to his first competitive season inside the BbKRT squad. He was in front of Alex for a time but Lowes passed on lap 16 and Axel finished ninth.

Two top tens in the opening race provided a solid base for the team to work from on Sunday, when they face a ten lap Superpole ‘sprint’ race and then a second 20-lap Race Two. This full distance contest will once again feature a mandatory tyre changed at mid-race distance.

Alex Lowes, stated: “First race done on the bimota, which is good. We struggled more in the hot conditions that arrived today and I was not quite comfortable with the front, but they are so much fun these races at Phillip Island! I was trying to be calm at the start but I didn’t quite have the feeling with the front on the first tyre. After the pit stop I felt a bit better. In the end it was a learning race but we have a lot of data for tomorrow. I feel great on the bike - like was able to apply myself well right the way to the last corner - so I did my maximum. We will get two more goes tomorrow.”

Axel Bassani, stated: “That was our first race day for bimota and it was good for the team because we finished eighth and ninth, quite near the each other. That is a good result, I think, for the team, because we finished on nearly the same level so we can work well from that point. I was difficult today because it was really, really hot. When I stopped for the first change of tyres it was nice because you had time to breathe and drink some water. We had some little problems, especially during changes of direction, as the bike was moving. In the last five laps I had to calm down a little bit. My goal was to finish the race inside the top ten and in the best way possible, so we have some data for Sunday’s races. Now we know where we have to work and improve.”