WorldSBK Jerez, Rea: “We need to solve our Barcelona issues”

The Catalunya round is done and dusted, with Jonathan Rea having scored the Superpole Race win at his team’s home track. Attentions now turn to Jerez, where teams are racing this weekend, and where the Northern Irishman will continue to battle it out for the title with Toprak Razgatlioglu, who is just one point ahead as things stand. 

Eyes on the prize

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Rea has won three previous races at Jerez, most recently in last summer’s Superpole race. Heading into round ten, the Kawasaki rider comments: “We ride a lot in Jerez in November, January and February, when the track is very cold. So, when the track is hot and greasy it’s a little bit different. Last year we rode there when the season restarted after Round One in Australia. So, we have good data from last year”.

His memories of the Andalusian track are positive and take him into what will be a very important round for the championship: “I think the problems we faced at Barcelona we need to really fix and make better for the races in Jerez. There is definitely work to do.”

Lowes not 100% fit

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It will be a different weekend for Alex Lowes, who won’t be fully fit after his Race 2 accident at Barcelona: “I got clipped by another rider and luckily I got away relatively unscathed from the crash. I have fractured my hand but otherwise I feel quite good”. The Englishman sustained a fracture at the base of his second metatarsal on his right hand, but after some check-ups and consultation with specialists in Barcelona, he’s decided to give it a go: “I feel like I can try and ride at Jerez. My neck is a little bit stiff but I will work hard on my recovery these next three days, with Albert our physio, and be in a position to try to ride. It is not an ideal situation but I will go to Jerez and the plan is to try to ride”.

Translated by Heather Watson

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