When, at the end of the 2020 season, Jonathan Rea gave up to Toprak Razgatlioglu his number 1 plaque which had been his for the last six years, he thought that it would only be for a parenthesis of a single season. Here we are in 2023 and the Northern Irishman still sports the favorite number 65 from his beginnings on his Kawasaki. And, already, we can predict an extension for the next deadline of 2024, so Alvaro Bautista dominates his subject with his Ducati Panigale V4R. But there's more: his Ninja is now outdated...
Kawasaki only has WSBK as a sporting showcase, unlike Ducati, de Honda and Yamaha which are also measured in MotoGP, with the same disappointing outcome for the Japanese brands against their Italian counterpart. We could therefore imagine the Akashi firm concentrating its industrially significant resources to take up the gauntlet in the category reserved for motorcycles from the series. But it seems that there is an inevitability when racing with an inline four, a concept that Suzuki nevertheless knew how to admirably evolve with its GSX-RR in MotoGP, before scuttling itself.
Now the question is whether Kawasaki really wants to go for the challenge. We already know part of the answer by looking at the development plans for the ZX-10R model in its range, and it is not encouraging. A delay which is beginning to damage the fine reputation patiently built with Jonathan Rhea these last years. To the point that the worst in a long time is currently being experienced by the Greens. The start of the 2023 campaign in Australia and Indonesia was difficult for Kawasaki, with only one dry track podium to their credit, which is that ofAlex Lowes in the Superpole Race. Sale was on the podium in Race 1 at Phillip Island, which took place on a wet track.
However, since his return to Europe, Jonathan Rea has become a regular challenger for the podium, with two trophies in three races at Assen and one in Barcelona. Despite only having one podium finish in Catalonia, the Northern Irishman was chasing a trophy in the Superpole Race and could have challenged for a podium in Race 2, had he started from the first row rather than tenth place following his fall.
Jonathan Rea: “ we know what to do, the team knows what to do, but it's not something we can react to at the moment »
After this round, it is clear that the spearhead Kawasaki is not to be considered as a threat to the more than ever leader of the championship Álvaro Bautista who counts after the Catalan round 236 points against 100 à Sale, only fourth in the provisional general classification. But the most worrying thing is that this situation risks continuing at KRT… “ I think we just have to do a good job every weekend, put all the things in the right place from a team point of view to fight for the podium »Comments Sale.
Then he admits: “ we are very far from fighting for a victory. We know what needs to be done, the team knows what needs to be done, but it's not something we can react to at the moment. This is our situation. I push the team every day on the circuit, during tests, but it is something very frustrating. Riding against other bikes on the track really highlights our difficulties ". Thus, the Kawasaki sinks inexorably into the peloton.
He finishes : " we will never give up. The team works very hard on what we can control and, of course, I am competitive. I've had quite a few second places this year, but what's more encouraging is Alex Lowes' good result. This shows that when things are going well, on a circuit that consumes a lot of tires, the Kawasaki can still be strong ". It is clear that the entire message sent from the site wsbk.com is bound for Japan, with the team doing the best they can with what they have.
