Superbikes that make MotoGP go crazy, this is the astonishing verdict of three days of tests shared by the two categories of motorcycle speed on the track of Jerez. The king of WSBK Rea would have committed a crime of lèse-majesté by teaching the lesson with his Kawasaki born from a production model to the rear guard of the Grand Prix elite. Since then, we have explained the technical reasons for this inverted hierarchy, with Pirelli in the lead. But others think otherwise. So Andrew Pitt.
Andrew Pitt is Australian, a retired double-World Supersport Champion and WSBK competitor who also competed in twenty-three Grands Prix. His heart is therefore more in Superbike. And the reactions sparked by a Sale in verve who challenged the MotoGP at Jerez made him react: “ if Jonathan Rea worked so hard in Jerez, it is firstly because he is one of the best drivers in the world » he announces on Racing by motorcycle.
« He is among the top 5, all categories combined. Its performance does not surprise true connoisseurs of our sport, where the driver can still make the difference. He did wonders with a non-competitive CBR in SBK and he believed for too long in an opportunity in MotoGP offered by Honda. But Honda preferred Bautista and Bradl. No one was interested in him for a leading handlebar. He doesn't accept the diktat of sponsors and there were those who said he was too old ».
« Of course, the very best MotoGP riders are at another level, but behind that there is a void. Those who decide want a Moto2 rider and are not considering Superbike. Since accepting the Kawasaki challenge, he has been dominating for two years. We are talking about Pirelli for this performance, but these Pirellis, you can get them off the shelf. For his time of 1'38, he used soft tires of course, but I'm talking about his time of 1'39 on average done with race tires. Who can think that Michelin doesn't have tires as good as Pirelli? »
« Rea's time is above all the performance of a man who feels good on his bike and with his team. I understand the MotoGP riders who stayed behind, but I also remember that his Kawasaki had an alternator and Showa suspensions that no one wants in a Grand Prix. Rea had a great performance and I don't understand why so many people in our sport deny this evidence. ».
