Rea Quickest At Catalunya Take a look at
Kawasaki’s official WorldSBK riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes joined a number of of their championship rivals for a weekend check on the Kawasaki Racing Workforce’s native Barcelona – Catalunya circuit.
On-track motion began on Saturday 20 August, with the second and last day on Sunday 21. Because of the limits positioned on the variety of permitted testing days over a season, every rider selected when to take to the circuit and when to take a seat issues out.
In typically scorching situations the 4.657km lengthy circuit close to the KRT squad’s personal HQ gave each riders and their pit crews an opportunity to guage the type of set-up choices they can’t check out in race weekends, attributable to time constraints throughout observe and qualifying.
Sunday’s motion was ended by a fall of rain within the last half-hour, by which period each KRT riders had reached their private pre-test targets.
Rea began his personal Barcelona check schedule on Saturday afternoon, setting the very best lap of the primary day in scorching situations. He was to set the very best lap of the weekend within the barely cooler situations of Sunday morning, with a 1’40.913.
Lowes examined his Ninja ZX-10RR for a full day on Saturday, however solely Saturday, evaluating set-up choices designed for the recent monitor situations. His place was taken on monitor on Sunday by Florian Marino.
Lowes set his finest lap time of 1’42.358 on the busy opening day, having made simply over 90 laps of the circuit.
The WorldSBK championship returns to race motion at Magny Cours in France, between 11th of September September. The Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya will host spherical eight of the WorldSBK championship, simply two weeks after Magny Cours.
Jonathan Rea, said: “It has been a very stable two days of testing. We began within the afternoon within the scorching temperatures of day one, and right away I obtained the rhythm for the monitor temperature, which obtained to the excessive forties after which 50°C. It was good to take the rhythm like that on day one. Step-by-step we labored via the check plan. We had some concepts through the season that we are able to solely attempt at a check, with out the stress of a race weekend. So it’s good to examine this stuff at a check. One of many issues we had in thoughts was altering my place on the bike, to see what affect that might have. We drew some optimistic outcomes from that. Additionally, the electronics facet of the bike is an space the place we by no means cease working. We understood find out how to take that ahead. Other than that, it was a terrific two days to check in scorching situations. I used to be in a position to be fairly quick and constant in these hotter situations. We all know it’s an space we nonetheless want to enhance on, however the first indicators had been optimistic. We centered on race begins on day two, within the afternoon, attempting to grasp the very best set-up from an digital and mechanical viewpoint. And in addition my fashion on the begins. I actually loved my bike these final two days and it has been good to fill within the WorldSBK summer time break once more, after being at Suzuka on a special bike. So it’s good to return again right here to grasp the Pirelli tyres and the WorldSBK spec Ninja ZX-10RR.”
Alex Lowes, said: “We simply did in the future of testing at Montmelo, a scorching day, which was good for us. Our goal was to enhance our rear efficiency in hotter, extra slippery monitor situations. I believe on Saturday afternoon we did a great job with that. We tried a variety of completely different set-up combos on the rear of the bike to get me right into a little bit of a greater place exiting corners, to get extra grip. We discovered some optimistic outcomes and it was enjoyable. This was a great check and I loved being again in WorldSBK mode with all my guys. I really feel fairly optimistic for once we return racing at Magny Cours. I actually loved this check.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, said: “We did half a day on Saturday, and one full day on Sunday. We primarily ready a place to begin for the Montmelo race in September, and naturally, discovering some areas we are able to enhance in. These had been primarily on the electronics facet. We lastly reached all of the issues we needed to attempt. Johnny completed with a great feeling and we collected all the data we needed from our plan. We at the moment are able to go to Magny Cours for the subsequent spherical.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, said: “We all know that this monitor has been not very pleasant with our set-up prior to now couple of years, so we had been completely satisfied to have this check right here right now of yr. We knew it was going to be scorching so we took this chance to enhance our bike in these scorching and slippery monitor situations. We had a transparent goal for this check. We needed to enhance some crucial components of our chassis package deal, primarily via the set-up. We had been quick and constant so we ended this check completely satisfied as a result of we reached our goal.”
Oliver König (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and new rider Oscar Gutierrez (TPR Workforce Pedercini Racing) had been additionally testing at Montmelo, with Gutierrez signed as much as trip on the subsequent two WorldSBK occasions for TPR.
Extra, from a press launch issued by Workforce HRC:
Workforce HRC concludes a really optimistic check in sunny Catalunya
Manufacturing unit Workforce HRC have accomplished a profitable two-day check in scorching and sunny situations on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the place they shared the circuit with many different WorldSBK groups.
With a maiden 2022 Suzuka8H win nonetheless a contemporary reminiscence for Iker Lecuona, and an HRC contract extension choice exercised for Xavi Vierge, two completely satisfied and motivated riders used this mid-summer check session as preparation for the second half of the season, whereas adapting their bike set-up to go well with the quick Spanish format forward of their house spherical that may run on the identical circuit over the weekend of September 23-25.
On monitor from 10:00 to 18:00 on day one and dropping solely the ultimate half hour on day two attributable to a thunderstorm, Iker and Xavi centered on numerous elements of their bike set-up, together with the electronics and mapping settings, and in contrast a mess of elements together with some linkages, Pirelli tyres and, on Iker’s facet, a brand new handbrake system.
Having responded positively to the extraordinary work carried out over the 2 days with their respective crews, the riders will now take a last two weeks off, earlier than returning to the monitor in Magny-Cours, France on Friday 9 September for spherical seven of the WorldSBK Championship.
Iker Lecuona 7
“Usually talking, I’m very proud of these two check days. On the morning of day one we struggled with the brake setup and it additionally took me a while to readapt to the tyres and discover my place on the bike, the setup of which is sort of completely different for the Suzuka 8h’s one. It took just a few hours to kind all this stuff however we had been in a position to repair every thing within the early afternoon and begin to work successfully. I started feeling good and comfy on my bike once more and I additionally tried a handbrake that I preferred. I couldn’t totally exploit it on day one however the extra I used it, the extra I obtained used to it and I believe we are going to maintain working on this space to additional enhance it. We tried quite a lot of completely different setups, discovering good tempo on used tyres, and we additionally went for a quick lap with a qualifying tyre and had been fast. So general we depart right here very completely satisfied.”
Xavi Vierge 97
“After having been pressured to overlook a variety of testing, I’m actually proud of how these two days have gone. We had some additional jobs to do after lacking the Donington and Misano checks, so we made many adjustments to the bike to grasp the course and we had been in a position to make good progress, notably right now. We have now discovered the way in which and I’ve lastly obtained again my good feeling on the bike and was capable of finding a powerful race tempo. It was only a pity we couldn’t attempt a gentle tyre, which was one thing we had deliberate for the ultimate minutes of the session however then a storm pressured us to pit. As I mentioned, it was a really productive check that I hope will show useful through the second a part of the season. I’m additionally happy with a view to subsequent yr in fact – you’ll be able to make certain that the workforce and I’ll proceed to intention for the highest the place we need to be.”
Extra, from a press launch issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Workforce concluded non-public testing at Barcelona (Spain). Bautista ended third whereas Rinaldi completed fifth
Two days of personal checks with all 5 producers of Superbike World Championship ended this afternoon on the “Circuito de Barcelona-Catalunya” (Spain)
For the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati workforce it was a fruitful check throughout which Michael Rinaldi and Alvaro Bautista – the Spaniard lapped through the morning session solely right now) had the chance to attempt new elements and to work in view of the Catalunya Spherical scheduled for September 23-25.
Listed here are the outcomes of the 2 days of testing concluded by Bautista and respectively in third and fifth place within the mixed standings
Day-1
P2 M. Rinaldi – 1’41.816 (+0.285) – 76 laps accomplished
P3 A. Bautista – 1’42.211 (+0.680) – 84 laps accomplished
Day-2
P3 A. Bautista – 1’41.281 (+0.368) – 66 laps accomplished
P5 M. Rinaldi – 1’41.621 (+6.01) – 83 laps accomplished
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19)
“I’m happy with the work we did in these two days. It was vital to get again on the bike after a three-week cease. We tried many options a few of which could possibly be helpful in the remainder of the season. Right now we lapped solely through the morning session additionally as a result of, after yesterday’s arduous work, it was vital to not stress my hand an excessive amount of. And if I’ve to be trustworthy the very best information is that I didn’t really feel any ache right now. See you in Magny Cours.”
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We conclude these two days of testing with the data that we now have carried out very intensive and productive work. We have now tried new options with optimistic outcomes though solely the info will inform us if we are able to use them already this season. I’m very happy with how issues went yesterday: the sensation was instantly wonderful. However I’m additionally proud of right now’s session. We didn’t give attention to the time assault whereas by way of race tempo we had been incisive. We go to France with nice confidence.”
