In Barcelona, Kawasaki and Jonathan Rea have presented the new ZX-10RR for the 2022 WSBK season – The mission is clearly defined: to recapture the title
Just over two weeks before the start of the 2022 World Superbike Championship season at Aragon, Kawasaki has unveiled the latest version of the ZX-10RR. Kawasaki is the third WSBK manufacturer after Honda and Ducati to present its new motorbike. Yamaha and BMW have not yet presented their models.
Kawasaki’s rider line-up will once again be led by six-time WSBK champion Jonathan Rea, with Alex Lowes joining the 35-year-old as a teammate for the third consecutive season. He had signed a new multi-year contract in 2021.
Kawasaki go into the 2022 season aiming to reclaim the world championship crown from Yamaha after the two Japanese manufacturers dueled for the full season last year, with Kawasaki coming out on top. Yamaha’s triumph ended Kawasaki’s six-year dominance.
Because since Rea joined the team from Honda in 2015, Kawasaki has remained unbeaten in the battle for the title. It is the most successful partnership in the history of the series.
Can Kawasaki challenge Yamaha in 2022?
Kawasaki hopes improvements to the ZX-10RR in 2022 will help close the performance gap – particularly to the Yamaha R1 – after Rea urged the manufacturer to step up last December in the face of stiff competition.
Rea, for his part, is hoping to reduce the errors that plagued him in the 2021 season. The Northern Irishman crashed several times while on the podium as he tried to compensate for the Kawasaki’s shortcomings.
Rea will return to his preferred number 65 for the first time since 2015, having lost the right to use number 1 to reigning champion Toprak Razgatlioglu of Yamaha.
Meanwhile, his teammate Lowes is aiming for an injury-free season after missing seven races at the last four stops of the season due to a series of costly incidents. Lowes’ prolonged retirement and the lack of available replacements contributed to Kawasaki slipping to third in the manufacturers’ standings behind Yamaha and Ducati.
Johnny Rea: “Let’s get the title back!”
“After more than a decade of being so closely associated with the Kawasaki WSBK project, and with eight titles in that time, our primary goals are another riders’ championship and the team and manufacturers’ titles in 2022,” team boss Guim Roda sets out the targets for the season.
“The introduction of the new team livery so close to our base in Granollers allows everyone associated with the team to be involved and it’s a great kick-start to our mission to succeed.”
“Both Johnny and Alex have the potential to win races and fight for the championship, and we have many dedicated people who have been working with us for several years,” Roda praises his team.
Rea emphasises: “For me, the team presentation is always a big step towards the new season. After six winter tests we are now ready to put away the black and white bikes. Now we unveil our new colours and show the world that KRT is well prepared for 2022. Let’s bring back the title.”
The new WSBK season kicks off with a triple of races at Aragon on April 9 and 10. Most of the 2022 field is expected to gather in Barcelona this week for two days of private testing before travelling to Aragon for an official Dorna-backed test.
