After nine seasons, Jonathan Rea jumped onto a bike that wasn’t a Kawasaki. The six-time World Champion was getting his first taste of action with the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK outfit at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto during a disrupted opening day of the test. Rain and red flags limited running but the Ulsterman was still able to put in the fourth fastest time of the day despite a small crash at Turn 13.

DAY ONE SUMMARISED: only a handful of laps

Rea’s best time was a 1’40.302s but the 119-time WorldSBK race winner was only able to complete 12 laps on day one thanks to a combination of poor weather from around midday and his crash at Turn 13. Despite this, he was less than half-a-second away from Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in top spot with the Australian setting a 1’39.837s. Rea was actually the third-fastest Yamaha on Tuesday, with Gardner’s teammate, Dominique Aegerter, in third spot. Rea’s lap count was the second-lowest from the WorldSBK field.

Reflecting on his first day on track with Yamaha, the Northern Irishman said: “It was fantastic to get the first laps on the R1 because you always have anticipation and maybe a preconception of how the bike’s going to be. I’ve been super excited until this morning, and then I got really nervous all of a sudden. I was thinking ‘can I be fast with the bike?’ or ‘what’s it going to feel like sitting on the bike during the bike fit?’. I got comfortable but the position felt strange, and I couldn’t imagine riding the bike. As soon as I exited pitlane, there were a lot of positives straight away I could take. We did three outings. The weather has been far from perfect. Even this morning, at a lot of corners, it was full of wet patches. Just before lunch, we got a lot of drizzle and then the track got soaked. We considered keeping the bike nice and dry for tomorrow and keeping with the test plan. Hopefully the track can dry out tonight, maybe it’ll be a late start tomorrow, but it’s also important to ride in the wet.”

THE CRASH EXPLAINED AND MORE: one negative, a lot of positives

Rea’s crash came at the final corner on the circuit, the left-hand hairpin that leads onto the start-finish straight. He was able to return to the box and there was no red flag following the incident, and the Yamaha rider explained what caused it. He also went on to discuss the potential of the bike and how welcome the team have made him feel, including a special dinner on Monday evening for Rea and his family.

Talking about these topics, Rea said: “I’m fine. I got unsighted by another rider on track and just opened up the last corner to square them off and hit a wet patch. Christened the bike, unfortunately. One that’s easy to take because I got caught out by a patch and not something over the limit. I think there’s still a lot of margin with the bike. It’s user friendly which gives me a good feeling. I had an amazing team before, I can’t speak highly enough about them and always as a rider, you think how it’s going to be. The Pata Yamaha Prometeon team have been incredible from my first dealings. Making me feel at home, everything from a very nice welcome dinner last night with me and my family. They’ve made me feel at home and really loved. How we’re working inside the box is really positive.”

WEDNESDAY’S PLAN: “This test is primarily about being comfortable”

Yamaha are the third manufacturer Rea has ridden for in WorldSBK, following Honda between the end of 2008 and 2014, and Kawasaki from 2015 until 2020. However, changing bikes after so long will mean having to re-adjust to a new team, a new machine and everything all that entails. After a shortened day of action, the 263-time podium finisher elaborated on his plan for Wednesday at Jerez.

He explained: “I think this test is primarily about being comfortable. I asked not to test too many hardware parts, electronic parts. I want to come away from here understanding the R1, finding the limit of the bike with my style and then, once everything becomes familiar and automatic, then we can start to test hard parts. If we start doing that now, it’s very easy to get lost. The team understand that.”

Catch up on all the key moments from day one HERE and watch highlights and interviews from Jerez using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is already in the past as 2024 starts right now with the opening test of the off-season. Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) is the biggest name to move as he leaves Kawasaki to join Yamaha; we caught up with team boss Paul Denning just moments before Rea’s first pit-out on the YZF-R1 to get his thoughts on the test, the signing, the plan and of course, the epic Race 2 from the weekend just gone. Rea did suffer a crash at Turn 13 on his first morning of action but was OK. Keep up with testing action here, whilst you can check out the first images and track action of Rea with Yamaha here.

“It’s kind of surreal… the process was stressful but strangely enjoyable” – first words on Rea

“I’m really excited! It’s a very short transition I have to say, from the emotion of Sunday and 24 hours later, taking pictures of Jonathan Rea sat on our bike,” started Denning, like a kid at Christmas but also in a situation which would have been hard to picture 12 months previous. “It’s kind of surreal, almost too quick a transition – also for him, to be jumping out of green after eight years. However, here we are, they are the logistics, we’re here at the test and I couldn’t be more excited. We had a great day yesterday, like an introduction day, working together in a physical way. I am absolutely intrigued to see what today and what the next day brings as part of the first part of the journey.”

Back when Denning had operated Suzuki’s outfit in BSB in the 2000s, he tried working with Rea then, although a deal couldn’t be reach – something that seems to be for the better now! “I tried to sign Jonny in 2007 on our Suzuki in BSB and failed as he took a different path then, but it worked out well for him as it got him into the World Championships and here he is now as a six-time World Champion. There’s no complaints on his decision then! Of course, over recent years, particularly when Toprak joined us but also when Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark were with us, we were kind of fierce competitors and that tends to produce antagonism and a sort of feeling of not being exactly best friends as you just want to beat each other. Especially with the Toprak story of 2021 and beyond. It’s been a real pleasure to get to know the person behind the competitor, his family and the process was stressful but strangely enjoyable. It’s quite a surreal moment.”

CREW CHIEF TALK: “With things not working out as first targeted, you actually find a better solution”

Another key story in the signing of the Rea was that he’ll have a new crew chief in Andrew Pitt, who moves over from Andrea Locatelli’s side. Paul Denning explained the decision and whether keeping Phil Marron from Toprak’s side or bringing Pere Riba from Kawasaki with Rea were options: “That was a decision we made a few weeks ago; Andrew and Jonathan have a long-term relationship, starting from when they were teammates in WorldSSP and finished first 1-2 there! They became close friends, they know each other personally and professionally and we felt that with the support that he thrives on in the family atmosphere of a team – what Pere and the guys created successfully at Kawasaki. We wanted to create something similar and Andrew also has the most experience with the bike after six years with us, so it’s a natural fit. ‘Loka’ is completely supportive of that and he’s very happy to take a new approach with a new crew chief next year.

“The first step was that we wanted to keep Phil but he took a different decision which we completely respect. He came with Toprak to us and I think Phil would have liked to stay, there was no doubt that he was a fundamental part of the team, however, the partnership with a rider – a special rider at that – is a difficult bond to break. The next step was to consider Pere, because it was the obvious next step but that didn’t happen for a couple of seasons and within that, with things not working out as first targeted, you actually find a better solution and we’ll be able to let everybody know who Locatelli’s crew chief will be towards the end of November. We’ve managed to bring someone across to the team that I’ve worked with before and I’m super excited to work with again.”

When asked about whether or not ‘Loka’s’ new crew chief will be from the MotoGP™ paddock, given the timing of when it will be unveiled coincides with the end of the MotoGP™ season, Denning replied coyly: “It might be yes, so we’ll see about that.”

NEW WEIGHT RULES: “We expect both our riders to be right on the limit with that”

There’s new technical rules for 2024, something Denning also spoke about: “We’ll have the same RPM as we finished the season but we don’t have anything extra for next year at this test; we’re starting with the base machine, the idea is to ride the bike and only that. I don’t think Jonny will test anything on the bike, it’s just to understand it, how different settings effect the bike’s handling and the electronics systems. The real test programme for 2024 starts at the test later in November here.”

Talking specifically about the weight and whether or not riders Jonathan Rea and Andrea Locatelli will be under the 80kg reference rider weight themselves, he said: “Where we’re at is that we’ll be more or less OK with that side of things but it is something we need to check carefully. We expect both our riders to be right on the limit with that.”

JEREZ RACE 2: “It’s the best race ever; show me a better one!”

Concluding with a final look back at Jerez’s barnstorming second race, Denning hailed it as the best race we’ve ever seen, even if a late penalty didn’t give them the result they may feel they deserved: “I don’t think anyone thought that Portimao would be exceeded in the short term and Race 2 at Jerez, Toprak left everything out there for himself, us and for Yamaha. What a performance, an incredible race. Honestly, it was really disappointing that the penalty cost Toprak winning and us the Teams’ Championship and it was a real kick in the balls. As the rule book sits, it was the only thing that the FIM WorldSBK Stewards could do. He had wheel spin, it costs him time, the wheel drops onto the green and bounces back and he loses the race. There needs to be more intelligence in the way the regulations are written, so then the Stewards can apply their decisions with common sense and intelligence on their side. It’s the best race ever; show me a better one!”

The 2024 title race starts here: keep up with all the action with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

2024 testing in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship started at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto and it was a dramatic first four hours of the test. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) topped the timesheets as he set the only lap in the 1’39s as rain began to fall just before 12pm Local Time (GMT+1). Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) crashed on his Yamaha debut at Turn 13, as did double Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) at the same corner as he briefly brought out the red flags.

The track went green at 10am for an eight-hour day of testing, with Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) immediately heading out on track. However, it was Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Motocorsa Racing) who was setting the early pace and he remained in the top three throughout the morning. Australian star Gardner topped the times with a 1’39.837s, the only rider in the 1’39s as rain started to fall around midday, with lots of riders opting not to go out. Rinaldi took second place, only 0.197s slower than the #87 and also racked up an impressive 36 laps, the most of anyone, while Dominique Aegerter put both GRT Yamaha riders inside the top three as he lapped 0.269s slower than his teammate.

Despite a Turn 13 crash less than two hours into the session, Rea finished fourth. His crash was at the final corner when he hit a wet patch on track, but he was still able to post a 1’40.302s to claim P4, lapping just under half-a-second slower than stablemate Gardner. In fifth was Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who also had a crash at Turn 13, with his tumble bringing out the red flags for a couple of minutes. His best time was a 1’40.546s. Gerloff took sixth after he, like Bautista and Rea, crashed at Turn 13 in the early stages. He was 1.356s down on Gardner’s best time at the mid-point of the test.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was seventh as KRT sported a new winter testing livery, with the Brit still carrying a knock following his Sunday crash during the Spanish Round. His best time was a 1’41.229s, 0.015s quicker than Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). The 2023 WorldSSP Champion is enjoying his first day as a factory Ducati WorldSBK rider and was eighth in the morning, seven tenths down on teammate Bautista. Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW), another rider making his first appearance for a new team, took ninth with a 1’41.333s. Completing the top ten was Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) on his first time with the ZX-10RR. The #47 was around six tenths slower than teammate Lowes.

Andrea Iannone’s (Team GoEleven) return to track action started with him in 11^th place on the Panigale V4 R, lapping two seconds off Gardner’s pace and around six tenths away from the closest Ducati to him. However, the #29 was one of the busiest riders on track as he completed 26 laps. Bradley Ray (GMT94 Yamaha) was four tenths slower than ‘The Maniac’ with Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) the last of the WorldSBK field. Also at the test is Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team), with the Spaniard making his Ducati WorldSSP debut. He set a 1’44.147s.

Follow minute-by-minute coverage of the test HERE and get all the reactions from Jerez using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) got his first taste of the Yamaha YZF-R1 machine at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto on the first of two days of testing. The six-time Champion left his box for the first time as a Yamaha rider around half-an-hour into the session for a few laps as he looks to adjust from Kawasaki to Yamaha machinery. Check out images and a video from his first day as a Yamaha rider at the top of this article.

Follow minute-by-minute coverage of the test HERE and check out videos from Jerez using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Axel Bassani’s (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) dreams became reality on Tuesday at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto as he took to the track for the first time with his new team. Sporting a traditional Kawasaki winter livery, revamped to include some striking yellow, the #47 was one of the first to head out as he adjusts from Ducati to Kawasaki machinery. Check out some stunning photos of the Italian making his KRT debut in Spain at the top of this article.

Follow minute-by-minute coverage of the test HERE and get all the reactions from Jerez using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is done and dusted and in the history books. Now, all eyes have turned to 2024 and the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto hosts two days of testing. Read the preview for the event HERE and follow live timing HERE. On this page, you’ll get key updates from the test and links to other content to enhance your experience of the test.

10:20 – Rinaldi is the first rider to dip into the 1’40s; setting a 1’40.891s. He leads former teammate Bautista by almost two tenths.

10:12 – six riders have ventured out onto track so far: Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW), teammate Garrett Gerloff, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Brad Ray (GMT94 Yamaha), Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Motocorsa Racing).

10:00 – the track goes green for Day 1 of the Jerez test!

09:30 – Monday marked Jonathan Rea’s first day with the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK team – check out the first images of his setup day HERE!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Source: WorldSBK.com

After a lot of speculation about his future, Michael Ruben Rinaldi now knows who he’ll be racing for in the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The Italian will make the move from the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad to Independent outfit Motocorsa Racing as the team opt for the five-time race winner. It means the #21 will continue his association with Ducati despite leaving the factory team as he replaces Kawasaki-bound Axel Bassani.

MOVING TEAMS, SAME MANUFACTURER: Rinaldi opts for ‘same but different’

Rinaldi has exclusively spent his WorldSBK career with Ducati machinery. In 2018, he was with the Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team and finished 14^th in the Championship, taking a best finish of sixth at Brno. The following year, he was with the Barni Ducati outfit and finished one place higher in the standings before his breakthrough season in 2020. A new team beckoned, this time Team GoEleven, and he claimed his first win and podiums at MotorLand Aragon.

This helped him earn a factory seat at Aruba.it Racing – Ducati, first alongside Scott Redding and then Alvaro Bautista. Between 2021 and 2023, he claimed four wins and 20 podiums for the team as well as helping them to win the Teams’ Championship in 2022 and 2023, and the Manufacturers’ Championship in the same years. For his seventh season in WorldSBK, Rinaldi will stay on the Panigale V4 R but with Motocorsa Racing as he looks to help the team continue their success.

A ROLLERCOASTER 2023: rapid pace mixed with misfortune

While Rinaldi has shown incredible speed throughout 2023, with nine podiums to his name – more than any other season – there’s also been some misfortune too. A technical issue at Assen on Friday hampered him all weekend, while he also crashed out of podium contention on home soil at Misano, plus had three separate opening lap incidents at Donington Park. However, with his rostrums and race win – the only rider outside the Titanic Trio to win this year – his speed was displayed on multiple occasions, and he’ll have a chance to show this against next year on the Independent Panigale V4 R.

STK1000 CHAMPION AND MORE: Rinaldi’s pre-WorldSBK success

The 27-year-old spent two seasons each in STK600 and STK1000 before joining the WorldSBK grid. Second in 2015 in STK600, finishing behind Toprak Razgatlioglu, with the pair both running Kawasaki machinery, earnt them a seat in STK1000. In 2016, the Italian was sixth before his rivalry with Razgatlioglu reignited as they fought for the title. This time, the Rimini-born star came out on top to secure the crown ahead of the 2021 WorldSBK Champion.

IN RINALDI’S OWN WORDS: “A new team, new people and one great goal… this is why Motocorsa is the right choice”

Looking ahead to his new challenge, Rinaldi said: “2024 starts today! A new team, new people and one great goal… this is why Motocorsa is the right choice. It would be complex and undoubtedly reductive to explain in so few lines all the reasons why Motocorsa and I chose each other and together decided to undertake this great challenge for the 2024 season. I would therefore like to use just two words: PASSION and AMBITION. Key words that were, from the first meeting with Lorenzo Mauri, the essence of a clear message that he wanted to convey to me, wanting me to be at the centre of a solid and competitive project to stay and aim, with a free mind, even higher. A vision that matches perfectly with what I am looking for… a team that has the same passion as me for this sport, the ambition, the desire, and the spirit of sacrifice that are needed to achieve great results. For this reason, I am very happy, and I can’t wait to start working with the team to create an excellent base on a technical level and a positive environment within the garage that can be productive and stimulating. I want to thank Lorenzo Mauri and Team Motocorsa, Vittorino Mesaroli and Mesaroli Spa, Ducati and all the sponsors who made this project possible.”

2024 starts now! Catch up on the latest news and interviews from the two-day Jerez test on Tuesday and Wednesday using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The sun’s set on the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, but it’s also already rising on the 2024 campaign. Just days after Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was crowned Champion for the second consecutive year, teams and riders are back in action at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for the first off-season test of the year and it will be one of the most important ones. With new regulations coming in for next year, and a whole host of rider line-up changes, this test could be one of the most fascinating to keep an eye on.

FIRST LOOK AT REA IN BLUE: six-time Champion makes Yamaha debut

Following his shock move to the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK squad for 2024, Jonathan Rea will make his debut with the team at the Jerez test. He spent nine seasons with the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK and Yamaha will become the third manufacturer he has competed for. His works gets underway straight away with the team, linking up with his new team including former teammate Andrew Pitt as his crew chief from Tuesday. Rea will be the only Pata Yamaha rider on track, with Andrea Locatelli not testing. The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team are keeping the same line-up for next season, with Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner staying, and they will also test this week. At GMT94 Yamaha, Brad Ray has been drafted in to test for the team, with his usual Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team not at the season finale, while his future is still up in the air.

IANNONE’S RETURN: ‘The Maniac’ is back on track

Andrea Iannone’s future was a long-rumoured topic, but it was announced that he would compete with Team GoEleven and his first appearance with the team will be at the Jerez test. After four years away from competition, ‘The Maniac’ will return to World Championship level in WorldSBK next year on an Independent Panigale V4 R, but his first outing with the team comes as soon as Tuesday when he jumps on the bike at Jerez.

BASSANI’S FACTORY TEAM DEBUT: first time for the #47 at KRT

With Rea’s move to Pata Yamaha, an opening came up at the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK squad. This was filled by Axel Bassani, who moves across from Motocorsa Racing to join a factory team for the first time. His debut in green will be at the test as he tries the ZX-10RR for the first time. He’ll be joined by new teammate Alex Lowes, with the Brit remaining with the team heading into the 2024 campaign.

A NEW FACE AT DUCATI: Bulega joins the double Champion

Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) celebrations are on hold – temporarily, at least – so he can test. He said on Thursday that some of the test will be dedicated to the new 2024 regulations, albeit not with a full ’24 machine, and he will be joined by his new teammate for the first time. Nicolo Bulega was announced as a factory Ducati rider for 2024 and the reigning WorldSSP Champion will debut with the team for the first time, although it’s not his first time on the Panigale V4 R. The 23-year-old discusses what he expects from 2024 in a special Champion interview, which you can watch here.

REDDING’S FIRST APPEARANCE WITH BONOVO: a new start for the Brit

Scott Redding stays with BMW but switches to the Bonovo Action BMW team from the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team squad, and his first appearance with the Independent outfit will be at the Jerez test. The #45 will be alongside new teammate Garrett Gerloff on the M1000RR, with the American in imperious form right now. The factory BMW team are saving their first test for December, when Toprak Razgatlioglu will join Michael van der Mark at Portimao and then Jerez. Yamaha Motor Europe’s Road Racing Manager, Andrea Dosoli, explained before the Spanish Round why the #54 won’t test before then.

MOTOCORSA WITH RINALDI: a new home for the Italian

His move to Motocorsa Racing was announced on Monday, and on Tuesday Michael Ruben Rinaldi will make his debut with the team. After losing his factory ride to Bulega, the #21 went in search of a new seat and stuck with familiarity, while also making a change. He’ll keep riding the Panigale V4 R machine but with the Independent Motocorsa Racing outfit, aiming to repeat the good times he enjoyed the last time he was on an Independent V4 R.

Follow all the latest interviews, news and reactions from the test using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The last chapter of the year is in the books; the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s 2023 season came to a dramatic close and it got the classic head-to-head it deserved. The debriefs were awash with stories from the epic battle and the farewells within teams, making these hot headlines from Jerez muy picante!

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “To beat Toprak, you have to attack; you can’t defend… one of the best races in WorldSBK”

Champion on Saturday, Bautista spoke of the fight for title #2 all season: “Toprak congratulated me and I said to him, ‘thanks’ because he had an amazing season. With the numbers I have this season, 25 victories, he still kept the Championship alive until the last round. That means he had an incredible performance. He didn’t make mistakes. To have a rival like him is always difficult because you cannot make mistakes, you can’t relax in some races and lose some points because, this year, every chance I had to try and fight for victory, I tried until the end because I knew that maybe five points here or there, in the end, to beat Toprak, you have to attack. You can’t defend. This year, I never thought about being conservative. Otherwise, Toprak is always there. It’s incredible to have a rival like him because he keeps you focused on the season; you cannot relax anytime. I congratulated him because he did amazing and thanks for all the show me and him put on.”

Then, the epic Race 2 battle which saw over 30 overtakes between himself and Razgatlioglu: “I like to win without penalties but it’s a rule that everybody knows. Anyway, I’m not happy for the win, I’m happy for the race. We battled really hard, and we did everything. We were aggressive but correct, respecting each other, I think it’s one of the best races in WorldSBK! It’s even better than Portimao Race 2. At Portimao, the overtakes were in one corner, then the next lap the same corner. Here, it didn’t matter which corner! Normally, I ride by keeping a margin of risk. I didn’t have this problem so I could ride like I wanted. I tried many passes, tried defending and tried attacking without caring about whether I made a mistake. In the fight, he had more chance to win the battle because the way he made the corner, for the battle, is better. Maybe for performance, it’s not, but for the battle, his way to do the corner is better.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK): “We need to improve; it’s why I’m going to BMW… I think there’ll be many wins”

Reflecting on his final season in blue, Toprak Razgatlioglu summed up the immense battle with Bautista: “At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t really strong. Alvaro was always strong especially at the beginning, winning many races. We kept fighting with him. I’m happy everything finished in the last round. In general, I enjoyed a lot this year. I’m always focused on winning the Championship, but I finished in second. I’m sad for this but everybody could see I tried more than 100% every race. I enjoyed today. We are fighting, just sometimes you need luck.”

Ahead of his BMW move, he stated that there could be “many wins” in 2024: “We need to improve; it’s why I’m going to BMW. To try to improve and start to fight again with Alvaro and maybe Jonny. I’m still young, we’re always learning. This year, I was learning how to fight a strong rider, a fast bike and I learnt. I hope next year, we improve the bike. I have more power. I’m riding like a Yamaha style; I think there’ll be many wins. I just need to ride like my style, and this is very important for me.”

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “It’s not the ending we deserved”

It really was a story of what could have been for Jonathan Rea, who crashed out of the lead in his final race for Kawasaki: “Off the lights, I thought ‘f**king hell, this is feeling good.’ The bike with different margins, I just overstepped it a bit at Turn 2. The bike got a little bit squirrely going in and instead of just relaxing the front brake and blowing the corner a bit, I really committed to make the corner with a lot of angle and down I went. It’s not the ending we deserved. I wanted to finish in the right way. Three laps after I crashed, I saw Guim on the pitwall and he was signalling to me something but I didn’t know if I was to come in or stay out! I pictured it finishing with a podium; that would have been nicer but then I wouldn’t have had the moment in pitlane with all the staff.”

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “We never let the bad talk get inside the group”

The journey in factory red is over but Michael Ruben Rinaldi is upbeat regardless: “For me, as an Italian rider, being in the factory Ducati team is special. These three years were amazing for me. I want to thank the Aruba team and Ducati because, even if there were some bad moments, we were a team and we faced that as a team. We never let the bad talk get inside the group. It was really helpful for me to improve as a person and as a rider.”

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team): “I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll watch the fight between Toprak and Alvaro’… no room at the party for me!”

With a perfect view of the fight for victory, Danilo Petrucci spoke about how he couldn’t quite get on terms with Bautista or Razgatlioglu: “A top five is always good when you have the chance to see the fight between Toprak and Alvaro so close, but you can’t start the first lap in 11^th or 12^th place. Today, I pushed as much as I could and I faster than in the Superpole Race. I did three or four laps in the 1’40s to get back to the top three, but when I got there, I said, ‘maybe now I’ll watch the fight between Toprak and Alvaro. I thought it might have been a good day but when I got there, there was no room at the party for me.”

Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team): “Toprak did an amazing job with how he fought with Bautista”

A double podium on Sunday – the first Swiss rider to achieve a rostrum in WorldSBK – Dominique Aegerter spoke of the titanic fight: “The emotion was from hungry to disappointed and 30 minutes later, I was very happy! It’s not so easy on a Sunday to keep focus. It’s hard and we achieved our best result in WorldSBK, so I’m very happy. I don’t know what the problem was. We didn’t have time to check it. I was thinking about the podium in the Superpole Race, but I didn’t know if it counted as a real podium or not! A podium is a podium, but I wanted to do it again in the long race. We had a great pace. Jonny and Toprak went, I think, too fast for this long race in the first five laps. I was close to Bautista, and he didn’t have the confidence; he made some small mistakes. I was not sure if I should overtake him or not. Toprak did an amazing job with how he fought with Bautista.”

Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing): “I lost fifth in the Championship… I’m not happy for that”

Despite taking the Best Independent Riders’ title, Axel Bassani couldn’t hold on to P5 in the standings: “Three guys tried to put me down! Gardner, Michael and Gerloff. But we won the Independent Riders’ title with a really difficult weekend. I finished Race 2, so I’m happy for that. For sure, before this weekend, my goals were to finish in the top five in all three races and it didn’t happen. I’m not happy. I lost fifth in the Championship after 35 races where I was in that position. I’m not happy for that, but I’m happy for best Independent rider and also the team as we’ve won it two years in a row. Three years I’ve been alone in the box. I think everything will be different for 2024 because I’ll have a teammate; for me, this is strange! I’m really happy to go with Kawasaki, a really good team. Jonny was doing good races so I think we can do a good job.”

2024 AWAITS: enjoy back all the classics from seasons gone by and gear up for next year with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com