The hoped-for progress is still a long time coming: Yamaha rider Jonathan Rea experiences a disappointing Friday at the World Superbike Championship in Misano
The start to the Misano weekend did not go according to plan for Yamaha factory rider Jonathan Rea. After a promising test in Misano, hopes were high that Rea would finally harmonize with the Yamaha R1.
But on Friday, the six-time world champion was unable to get beyond P14. On the track where he celebrated his first victory in the Superbike World Championship almost 15 years ago, he was over a second behind and was only the fourth-best Yamaha rider.
“It was a difficult day in terms of our performance,” admitted Rea. “We had problems with grip right from the start. The grip was worse than at the test. That’s why we needed some time again to set up our engine brake correctly. I kept losing the rear at the entrance to the corner. We improved a bit. “
Why the Yamaha R1 reacts so sensitively when the grip decreases
The Yamaha R1 reacts more sensitively to low-grip conditions than the other superbikes. There are reasons for this. “We get a lot of lap time by riding on the side of the tire and reaching high cornering speeds so that we can get onto the straights with momentum,” explains Rea.
“But when the grip decreases, you can only compensate up to a certain point. You would have to switch to a stop-&-go style. But our acceleration and top speed don’t allow that. That’s why it’s more difficult for us to be competitive when the grip drops,” says Rea, explaining the problem with the R1, which is at a disadvantage in terms of performance.
Analyzing the data, Rea recognizes well where he is losing time. “We have to improve the final part of the lap. The first and second sectors are good,” he reveals and admits: “I lack the race pace of the top riders. But if I can find a few tenths of a second, then I can get into the top 5. “
Jonathan Rea is slowly increasing the pressure on Yamaha
The fact that Rea is still far behind his own expectations is reflected in his mood. “It is frustrating. It’s not where I normally end up. We are not making the progress we would like to,” said the record-breaking champion.
“I should be further ahead, Yamaha too,” said Rea. “Remy (Gardner) and Loka (Andrea Locatelli) have been riding the bike for a long time, but it’s still difficult to get into the top 5. I still have a lot of work to do, but so does Yamaha,” said Rea, increasing the pressure on the team and Yamaha.