Transient However Constructive KRT Check
Kawasaki Racing Group riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes took to the monitor with their Ninja ZX-10RR machines on Friday 2 December to start out essential preparations for the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship.
The deliberate two-day check on the 4.423km lengthy Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto was decreased to half a day, on Friday afternoon, as a consequence of earlier durations of moist climate. On an virtually dry*- monitor each Lowes and Rea labored by numerous check gadgets, just some days after the tip of the 2022 racing season.
Within the last evaluation, every rider had sufficient monitor time to kind opinions in regards to the new gadgets, with Rea ending because the quickest rider with a 1’39.911, set on lap 39 of fifty.
Alex went out on monitor first, on a moist however drying monitor floor. He would additionally set 50 laps in a single busy afternoon session, swapping between two bikes within the group’s new winter checks colors.
Lowes was third quickest general, with a 1’40.342 greatest lap time regardless of the not fairly excellent monitor circumstances.
The subsequent check for the KRT riders might be in late January 2023, as soon as once more at Jerez.
Jonathan Rea, acknowledged: “It has been a really worthwhile check as a result of we needed to make choices on some ‘exhausting’ components for the off season, in order that we will begin in a great way subsequent 12 months. We simply had three or 4 of those essential gadgets to say sure or no on. Driving the 2023 bike is nice. There are some areas we have to enhance, as a result of we’re nonetheless doing the early work, particularly from the electronics facet. However step-by-step we are going to put the package deal collectively. The monitor was by no means in excellent form as there have been nonetheless some damp patches on the market however we have been capable of make some choices. I’m comfortable to enter the off season wholesome and comfortable. I look ahead to a couple weeks vacation now.”
Alex Lowes, acknowledged: “I felt good on the bike even when the climate was a little bit bit towards us at this check, which means we simply bought the final afternoon on monitor. After I began the monitor was nonetheless fairly damp however we used this time to attempt some issues that weren’t about general efficiency. We had some new concepts for 2023 so I spent the subsequent couple of hours ‘back-to-back’ testing some new components, with some positives and a few negatives on the rear of the bike. The great level was that we bought a whole lot of laps in, so now we have a whole lot of info to attempt to piece every little thing collectively to offer us an excellent step for the check on the finish of January.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, acknowledged: “The check went OK, as a result of we did simply 4 hours in the long run. The climate has been not good; raining all day on Thursday and it took a very long time to dry right this moment which implies we bought these 4 hours. We had a few issues that we needed to check and get the suggestions from the riders about, as a result of it needs to be developed in the course of the winter time. Lastly, we might gather the knowledge. Johnny was going quick and we have been solely utilizing an SC0 tyre, a tough choice, within the rear. It was fairly constant within the lap instances and we collected all the information that we wished. Now we’re simply wanting ahead to subsequent 12 months.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, acknowledged: “In the course of the day we had a few major gadgets that we tried, to enhance for subsequent 12 months. After this half day check now we have a transparent opinion about many of the gadgets, which permits us to proceed to enhance for the January check. Having completed this in just some hours we’re very happy. We didn’t contact the set-up from Phillip Island, not one click on, and Alex was instantly quick and much more constant. We’re more than happy with these check outcomes. We are able to all enter the vacation interval with a giant smile on our faces.”
Tom Sykes, the 2013 WorldSBK champion with Kawasaki, returned to the collection with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing at this check, after a season spent racing in BSB. He additionally solely rode in the course of the last dry afternoon session, however set a greatest lap time of 1’40.949 – simply over one second from the quickest rider.
