EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan Rea says ‘it’s my time’ at Yamaha, not replacing Toprak Razgatlioglu
Jonathan Rea says the pressureꦚ he’s under at Yamaha has not🅘hing to do with replacing Toprak Razgatlioglu.

The six-time WorldSBK champion joined Yamaha in a sensational move towards the end of last season, and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Jonathan Rea, wh🎶o has been impressive so far in testing aboard the R1, feels good about where he’s at in his adaptation period.
ꩵRea, who is on-track again today and tomorrow as part of the two day Portimao test, spoke to m🌳ahbx.com last weekend following the Jerez outing.
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When asked whether he agrees with the perception of many that the R1 is a very rider-friendly machine, Rea exclusively told Crash: “I think it’s a fair comment to say that it’s a user-friendly bike. It’s a bi💃ke that definitelꦗy inspires confidence.
“In my first few laps the timer was broken - not broken- but because it was 🧸a pri🔥vate test the timing loop wasn’t set-up.
“So I didn’t know the lap times and didn’t f🎶eel very fast. But then the guys told me that the lap times were really fast.
“I couldn’t quite believe that everything just flowed and🍸 that the lap time was just coming. I think a lot of that is to do with the engine character of the R1 and not just the chassis.
“Of course the chassis works well but the engine character is very lineಌar. The bike makes power but makes it in a very linear way. Just understanding that, with the torquꦚe as well.
“I think that always lets the riders understand where you are in the rpm range. Y🅘ou can really understand a bike in your hand, instead of using so much electronics.”
Perhaps the favourite to challenge Ducati and Alvaro Bautista this season given the resul𒁃ts Yamaha have achieved in recent seasons, Rea said it’s too early to th𝐆ink about that as he considers Ducati the reference, still.
Rea added: “We’ll have to see, it☂’s too early to talk about how competiti🔴ve we can be. In testing everyone has different strategies.
“What’s clear i🙈s that, looking at the lap-by-lap analysis after the test, Bulega was a clear step ahead of everybody.
“Aft൩er that, Alvaro looked very strong as well, even 🧸though he wasn’t right at the front in the classification. Alvaro is Alvaro.
“ཧI still feel like they are the reference. But step-by-step, getting more used to the bike I have more reason to be optimistic that I can fight. But we need to see.
“Phillip Island is a strange race because it’s all about tyre consu𒁏mption and now out-right pace.”
What is clear this season is that Rea will be gunni♑ng for a seventh world title, and with that it means taking over Yamaha’s challenge from Razgatlioglu unless Andrea Locatelli can pose a season-long threat.
But Rea, who admits there is pressure in 2024, says it’s not becaus🔥e he’s replacing Razgatlioglu.
“Like most racers you ju⭕st think selfishly,” began Rea. “I’m always thinking about myself. I don’t I’m replacing him. I’m coming to Yamaha to do my job.
“He had an incredible time with Yamaha but now it is my t❀ime. To compare myself or the pressure; the pressure on me is not about Toprak or what he did before.
“The pressure is that Iꦉ left a very comfortable environment with my previous team, a team♕ I loved and not about who I’m replacing at Yamaha.”