Phillip Island WorldSBK Test: Jonathan Rea ‘frustrated’ by crash after fastest lap, bike had ‘pretty big dent in it’

Jonathan Rea says work is to be done ahead of the 2023 WorldSBK season-opener this weekend, as ‘bumps’ are making the bike feel different compared to November’s visit at Phillip Island.
Jonathan Rea, Kawasaki WorldSBK Phillip Island 2023
Jonathan Rea, Kawasaki WorldSBK Phillip Island 2023

Fourth fastest on day one of WorldSBK testing at Phillip Island, Rea was pleased with how his ZX-10RR ♏was performing in some 💯areas, however, bumps around the Australian circuit were proving to be a challenge for the six-time champion.

Although the bumps have not gotten worse since racing at🐓 Phillip Island in late November, in his opinion, Rea and Kawasaki now have just one more day o🐼f pre-season testing to iron out the issues. 

"Positive but also mixed," said Rea following day one. "We had some really good feelings with the bike but some not so g▨ood that we’ll try to resolve tomorrow. 

"Some issues with tꦗhe bumps. The bumps aren’t gᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚetting worse but the bike feels different compared to last year. 

"Also the temperature is a lot higher compared to last year so the grip levels are good but 🦂they’re of course dropping much more than in November."

Jonathan Rea Australian WorldSBK. 20 February
Jonathan Rea Australian WorldSBK. 20 February

Like rivals 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Toprak Razgatlioglu and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Alvaro Bautista, Re🌄a was last of the so-called ‘titanic trio’ to suffer a 🅺crash after going down at turn 4. 

The fall, which resulted in his Kawasaki𒊎 machine suffering a🧸 big dent in the side of its fuel tank, came at turn 4 moments after Bautista went down at the same corner.

It also came after setting the quickest time of the session before Razgatlioglu, 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Bautista all moved ahead.  

Summing up his crash, Rea said: "Was basically a mix of things. I went𝓡 out with a completely different wheelbase and also a new hard fr൲ont tyre that I hadn’t used yet and was pushing hard. 

"I had just set the fastest lap of the session just before and then the next lap I went in with good power, good feelings - on the data 🐬is was very similar but with just a little bit more lean angle - it’s just one them things. 

"Frustrated because I was relatively unscathed and I went with the same gl✤oves, same everything, but the bike not so much. I put a pretty big dent in it. 

"I went out straight away again and was fast, but just working on them key areas and trying to manage those bumps better🐭 tomorrow."

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