Red Bull Honda WorldSBK team manager Kervin Bos confirmed that the team were running their existing Cosworth electronics system on the first day of the Portimao tests, not the Magneti Marelli system they are intent on using in 2018.

Speaking to bikesportnews.com, the Dutchman, in a new role for 2018, said: “At the moment we do not have any plans about electronic things because last year the Portimao test was the most difficult of the year. The most important thing is to find, first of all, the feeling today with both riders. Then we are gong to decide what to do. Portimao was really hard here last year for the team, the bike, everything. So the main focus for today will be to find some speed.”

Rookie WorldSBK rider Jake Gagne, one of the two new riders for the Red Bull Honda team this year, set a good pace on his first ever day the undulating and tricky Portimao, posting a 1’44.052, with just over an hour to go.

“Jake is here for the first time, so it will be a rollercoaster for him,” said Bos, “For him it will be laps, laps, laps. Then we will start working through the testing plan we have. At the moment we will focus on the bikes and what we did at Jerez recently, and later on during the test when we are on a decent level we will make some choices with electronics.”