This 2023 WSBK off-season shows that it is not only in MotoGP where Japanese manufacturers must respond to the Ducati offensive. In the category reserved for machines from the series, the emblems of the land of the rising sun have also mobilized, like Kawasaki which notes that the World Superbike is no longer its private playground. Jonathan Rea, the six-time world champion of the Akashi brand, has been calling for a sharper Ninja for two seasons, which seems to have arrived this year. The latest Portimao tests also revealed some recruitments to strengthen the area of electronic exploitation by hiring two Europeans...
Things seem to be moving Kawasaki whose only involvement in a speed world championship materializes through participation in WSBK. Meanwhile, its competitors Yamaha, Ducati and Honda are also mobilized on the MotoGP front. The last of the five competing manufacturers which is only interested in the World Superbike is BMW.
A strategy that bore fruit with a Jonathan Rea which brought no less than six consecutive world titles to the Akashi factory. But Yamaha with Toprak Razgatlioglu stopped the series while the performances now displayed by the new title Alvaro Bautista, on Ducati, suggest a domination identical to what is experienced in MotoGP.
The Northern Irishman therefore put a lot of pressure on Kawasaki to obtain a more powerful package for the 2023 Superbike World Championship. In 2021 and last year, he showed on the track that he had to more often than not at his turn goes beyond his limits and those of his green machine to hold the lead against Toprak Razgatlioglu on the Yamaha and Alvaro Bautista on the Ducati. If we take stock of this offseason's tests in Jerez and Portimao, it seems that the six-time world champion has been heard. Many new parts from Japan have been tested, to the point that the vast majority of them will be integrated into a new approval model. Details haven't been revealed, but it's clear the changes are significant.
WSBK: “ the Kawasaki engine should go from 14.600 rpm to more than 15.000 rpm«
« The test was really positive. We have hardly changed our set-up for the tests in Jerez and Portimão since the final at Phillip Island. Basically we just installed the new parts in order to try them out. 80% of the parts were good ", states Sale on speedweek. " With our electronics specialists, we adapted the configuration to the changes made. It was important for me to understand the adjustments and take my wishes into account. Work is still in progress, but I have built a good understanding ". Regarding this work of adapting the electronics, it should be noted that Kawasaki has invested in two recruitments: Sander Donkers et Christophe Lambert have thus joined the green adventure in WSBK.
Jonathan Rhea finished second in the Portimao test with a time of 1'39.044, just 0.009s slower than the world champion Alvaro Bautista and its Panigale V4R version 2023. A result which makes the 36-year-old driver say: “ we also worked on the chassis and the new parts have proven themselves. I would say that we have made good progress. But if you look at our opponents, especially the two Ducati factory riders, they have all improved. You never know where you are until you face off in a race. Overall, I'm happy with the winter testing and I'm also happy with the two days here in Portimão. What we would have needed to prepare for the new season were warm conditions. It would be great if we could pack everything on the plane and test it in Australia or South Africa ».
Kawasaki will soon present a new homologation of its ZX-10R. Shortly before the start of the World Championship, we will discover all the innovations brought by the greens, and in particular on engine speeds. We remind you that at present the ZX-10RR has 14, but it will probably go well beyond the threshold of 600. We will only know the exact number before the start of the World Championship, since the FIM will have to communicate it…
WSBK Test Portimao J2: times
Photo credit: WorldSBK and teams
