If, in MotoGP, everything seemed to come together on the transfer market with a view to 2024 before we noticed that shifting sands were still in place, in WSBK, the situation expected to be stable ultimately turned out to be just as precarious. The tremors coming from the Grands Prix are thus felt in the category reserved for machines from the series which is also experiencing its own tremors. At the center of the debates, an official Yamaha, a Honda LCR and Jonathan Rea, Scott Redding as Iker Lecuona. Before going to battle on the Most track which will mark the eighth meeting of this World Superbike season, the trio respectively took stock of their situation.
Un Jonathan Rhea who openly doubts the strategy of Kawasaki who has still not put the extra 500 rpm in the engine of his Ninja and who is not rejecting an option Yamaha for 2024, a Scott Redding that BMW should have announced as confirmed at Imola, but which did not, and a Iker Lecuona dissatisfied with his Honda, but who would be happy with the one fielded in MotoGP, even just as imperfect, animated the press conference before the start of the WSBK meeting in the Czech Republic.
We start with Jonathan Rhea who remains evasive about his intentions for next season while confirming that the dilemma is indeed current, to the point that it will also be debated within the family... " At this time of year, there are always rumors and stories and I suppose that the Toprak handlebars are the most important to fill… For my part, really nothing to say about my future. I'm going to sit down with my wife, kids and family to figure it out. I'm sure it's all in the works, but it's just rumors right now ».
On this place in the factory team Yamaha , The man for the job, Andrea Dosoli commented : " We are monitoring all available drivers and it will take some time before making a decision. We will only comment on this once we have defined our driver lineup. It's a long list of drivers. We are not in a hurry ". However, it is said that Franco Morbidelli, from MotoGP, will have to give a response for a transfer from the M1 to the R1 in a week at Silverstone as part of the British Grand Prix.
« Compared to WSBK, MotoGP is the best, I've always said it »
Un Jonathan Rhea who doubts, it's a Kawasaki possibly up for grabs and rumor has it that she is of interest Scott Redding. But the latter kicked in… “ An opportunity at Kawasaki is not something I considered because it came out of nowhere. Are these still rumors? Is there something behind it? It's not really my business. My job is to focus on what I'm doing here right now. We know that this year has been a little more difficult for us, even on our good circuits. I have the impression that we can have a good weekend here ". Then he adds: “ there was a little misunderstanding I thought there would have been something. Finally there was no news ».
The final word goes to Iker Lecuona who does not hide that between a Honda disappointing in WSBK and another complicated one in MotoGP, he would rather suffer on an RC213V…” This year we struggled a lot. We started the weekends with a lot of problems on the bike, we always need to change base. We can't find the base to use at each track. We have to work a lot harder than the other drivers. This tells us that something on the bike is not correct ».
« I still don't know about my future » continues the Spaniard. « I can't say anything until we have everything locked down but, for my part, I hope that this weekend I will know a little more. Right now, I honestly don't know. I'll find out this weekend, but I can't say! It depends on the project ". Then he concludes: “ Next week, I have a chance to go back but with LCR this time. MotoGP is the best, I've always said it ».
