With Jonathan Rea wound up like a clock, the WSBK will get ahead of MotoGP by a week by coming to Jerez for two days of testing. On the Grand Prix side, testing will take place a week later in Sepang, but with full complements, while the championship devoted to machines derived from the series will be limited to the Kawasaki and Honda troops in Spain. If, for the winged coat of arms, it will be a question of building around its two young recruits from MotoGP and Moto2, for the former, it will be a preparation to consider the reconquest of a world title lost last year at profit from the Yamaha of the formidable Toprak Razgatlioglu…
A mission that is close to the heart of Jonathan Rhea who, at 35, finds himself in the shoes of a challenger, which has not happened to him since 2015... A questioning that he mulled over during the winter break and which gave him extra motivation, while making him realize that he has less to do in his career than he has already done. Because time passes...
Public chat Motorsport-total, we thus discover a Northern Irishman impatient to fight: “ I feel refreshed and now I can't wait to go back and see the guys. I still feel like I'm at the peak of my career ". But we also read: “ I have one more year with Kawasaki and winning this season is my biggest goal ».
Jonathan Rea: “ I am motivated to continue, whether to stay where I am or to go elsewhere«
Then he makes this clarification: “ I am so motivated to continue and I don't think the story is over, whether to stay where I am or to go somewhere else.. The fairy tale would be to finish my career at Kawasaki because they gave me so much success. But fairy tales don't always work ". This 2022 season will therefore be important in more than one way for the official driver of an Akashi brand from which he also expects developments on the ZX-10R: “ we had a very productive test in Jerez at the end of last year, so it's always nice to go back and make comparisons. We will understand the results in a few days ».
« It will be at least as competitive as last year “, he assures. “ We have some new parts to try, mainly on the chassis side, a bit of electronics. I think what we learned last year will help us. I have one more year with Kawasaki and winning this season is my biggest goal »
The first WSBK test of the year will take place on Wednesday and Thursday. Jonathan Rhea et alex lowes will try the improvements on the Kawasaki ZX-10RR. At Honda, for recruits it will be Iker Lecuona et Xavi Verge to get used to the CBR triple R. The Puccetti Kawasaki rider Lucas Mahias will also be present. Finally, Stefan bradl will be part of Honda RC213V.
