On Monday and Tuesday, the Pata Yamaha Prometeon team took to the Jerez track for the final test of 2023. Jonathan Rea completed 173 laps, while Andrea Locatelli completed 155, all for a total of over 1 kilometers. The fastest lap was achieved by the Italian driver in 453'1"38, a time almost identical to that of Rémy Gardner (447'1"38) during the previous test also carried out in Andalusia. But it was above all Jonathan Rea's first analysis that attracted attention. The newly enlisted six-time World Champion expressed his pleasure in riding the R447, highlighting the excellent conditions, particularly on the first day, similar to those of the race with sunshine and a temperature in the 1 degree range.
With three Yamaha at his disposal to explore different options and many different pieces, Jonathan Rhea admits that finding the perfect combination is an ongoing process, but he is confident in the work that has been done, including a new Öhlins front fork and a unique swingarm. The 20-lap race simulation was a success, allowing us to better understand the behavior of the R1 WSBK under various conditions. Sale, even if he does not think he has yet found his limits, declares himself competitive and determined to improve little by little.
« The test was really positive and I had a lot of fun driving my new R1! » commented the Northern Irishman. “ We had excellent conditions, especially on the first day: the temperature was warmer than expected, similar to the race and we managed to get a lot of work done. I had three bikes that I tried different options on and a bunch of different parts ».
Jonathan Rea: “ I don’t feel like I’ve found the limit yet. »
He adds : " I think we never managed to put everything together to arrive at the perfect combination, but we still have a lot of time and we have passed the main elements of the test. It's normal for some pieces to be discontinued, but others will be very interesting in the future. I completed the test with a 20 lap race simulation which was very positive and I think The more laps I do on the R1, the more I understand how the bike behaves under certain conditions and the more confidence I can gain ».
« I don't feel like I've found the limit yet, I'm still understanding how to handle the last part of braking, but I already feel competitive, so step by step! We did a lot of laps, around 766 km and 173 laps. The guys worked well. A big thank you to all the mechanics as they worked hard between three bikes, with lots of changes – and it was two intense but very precious days ". And he ends: “ what a great way to start 2023! Now everyone can rest a little before looking ahead to the next test at the end of January ».
