Bimota pairing top Jerez WorldSBK Test as Rea welcomes new Crew Chief

2025 WorldSBK

Jerez Check November 2024

Bimota, Yamaha and Kawasaki groups took half in a two-day take a look at this week at Jerez alongside all kinds of different race groups, together with some from the FIM EWC and British Superbike paddocks, together with a number of MotoGP prototypes.

Axel Bassani

Axel Bassani and Alex Lowes solely rode the brand new KB998 bimota on the second day solely, preserving their allowed take a look at days by utilising take a look at rider Florian Marino for suggestions and evaluations on day one.

Bassani and Lowes discovered heat and sunny circumstances on observe on Wednesday, with each placing in a powerful lap depend and dealing by their take a look at plans in a methodical vogue. Alex recorded 83 laps on the ultimate day and Axel 86.

With a better of 1m38.355 finest Lowes was the quickest rider on observe throughout each days of motion, with Axel a fraction behind at 1’38.358.

Alex Lowes – Bimota

“It was a very good day of testing, and a busy day. I spent a variety of years on the Kawasaki so there have been two primary targets for me. To be on the bike a bit extra, and perceive methods to experience the bike in one of the best ways. That is one thing I would like to consider through the winter break. It was vital to see if I’ve to alter my fashion a bit. We did a long term and tried to work on used tyres to get a sense with the bike. I began to work a bit on my confidence with the entrance. I had a bit of crash in T6, pushing the entrance to grasp a bit extra. We used one qualifying tyre solely and we made a very good step with that. Even when that was not our primary goal, it was good to be quick. With all the data we have now, I’m positive we are able to enhance rather a lot. We’ve got an understanding of the bike however I do know additionally the place I have to work to simply refine my fashion to get probably the most out of it.”

Pere Riba – Crew Chief for Alex Lowes

“That is the second take a look at we have now executed with Alex, after we have been right here in Jerez one month in the past. The bike is comparable however we have now some totally different gadgets to let the rider be extra snug on the bike, with the driving place and these type of issues. You may think about how early within the undertaking we’re. This bike has a distinct character from the Kawasaki we raced prior to now, when it comes to driving. So the strategy from the rider needs to be a bit of bit totally different. We’re working to grasp methods to create a base bike for Alex to be snug, to grasp it and get the sensation. We’ve got been testing fairly linear modifications when it comes to set-up, not huge up and down modifications, as I wish to give time for the rider to actually perceive the brand new bike. We made some modifications when it comes to stability to grasp the course we wish to go in. We’re nonetheless at first, however even like this the lap instances are fairly promising. Alex used just one Q tyre to set a very good lap time. It was a really constructive take a look at.”

Axel Bassani – Bimota

“We labored rather a lot on race tempo and I’m fairly completely satisfied. It was actually good and I’m additionally fairly completely satisfied about doing a quick lap. I’m not the most effective of all however we ran the identical tempo of Alex and he is among the finest riders on this planet over one lap. We did roughly the identical lap time, so that’s actually good. I believe we perceive which manner we have now to take through the winter break. Now, I believe everybody must loosen up a bit of bit, to take pleasure in house and household. For positive we are going to take into consideration the bike however it’s also vital to cease and loosen up and we are going to see everybody once more subsequent 12 months. Thanks to everyone.”

Over at Pata Prometeon Yamaha Oriol “Uri” Pallares stepped into his new position as Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, changing Andrew Pitt within the crew, who additionally welcomed highly-experienced technician Gregory Rebeyrat into the squad.

Oriol “Uri” Pallares changed Andrew Pitt as Jonathan Rea’s Crew Chief

Rea completed the take a look at with a quickest lap time of 1’38.452, lower than one tenth from the highest of the timing sheet.

Whereas a crash at Flip 7 earlier than lunch barely restricted operating for Locatelli on the second day, Andrea was in a position to make constructive progress on Day 1 with 77 laps and proceed to working by the take a look at programme later this afternoon.

Throughout a mixed whole of 241 laps, the main focus was on a mixture of chassis and electronics technique enhancements whereas concurrently fine-tuning the person R1 WorldSBK set-up for each Rea and Locatelli.

Jonathan Rea – Yamaha

“I’m glad with the work that we’ve executed over these two days! In the long run, we have now a variety of gadgets to do that winter however throughout this take a look at particularly it was vital to work on my feeling with the R1 and regain some confidence in areas that I struggled with a bit this 12 months. We centered on the entrance finish of the bike, with the ability to cease and be extra aggressive flicking the bike to the apex. Working with Uri as my Crew Chief for the primary time was good, the vibe within the crew is nice and he has slotted proper in – so we have been in a position to get to work shortly. We tried some totally different digital gadgets and fine-tuned our base set-up – the beginning level once we arrived was good so we have been in a position to transfer by the programme effectively. I’m completely satisfied as a result of we have been in a position to be quick on the Q tyre, race tyres and ship consistency within the lap instances, constructing my feeling once more. Clocking off now for the winter, we’ll be again in January to get actually into the meat of the take a look at plan. I’d prefer to want everybody a contented vacation interval and say an enormous due to the entire crew and Yamaha – plus a heat welcome to my new mechanic Gregory Rebeyrat and “chapeau” to Uri for a terrific first 2025 take a look at.”

Andrea Locatelli – Yamaha

“The rhythm with the race tyre was good – it was a disgrace to have such a giant crash this morning on the second day and miss a few of the take a look at programme. However, now we’re trying ahead and ready for January so I can experience on my R1 once more. We’ve got time to analyse the info from each days and make one other improve to arrange the bike for 4 extra days of testing in January – which can be vital to finalise all the pieces prepared for the season. We did 72 laps yesterday and normally for the primary day I used to be completely satisfied, instantly with a very good tempo despite the fact that we weren’t looking for a quick lap time. It will be important after a very long time I’ve been with Yamaha that we push to the utmost, it doesn’t matter what the situation. If we might be quick instantly it may be a giant benefit for us each in testing and through the race weekends, on this space I’ve improved rather a lot. It’s a step-by-step course of total in testing, we keep constructive and I at all times imagine that we are able to make a distinction in all of the areas the place we work. Thanks to the crew and Yamaha, and I wish to want everybody a Merry Christmas!”

Riccardo Tisci – Yamaha Motor Europe Highway Racing Technical Supervisor

“These two days of testing at Jerez have been very fascinating for the Yamaha WorldSBK undertaking – we discovered some positives and some areas the place we have now to proceed to work on refining the small print, nevertheless it was very helpful as a result of we have now a transparent course for the subsequent steps in improvement. We adopted our take a look at plan engaged on primarily chassis and electronics enhancements, additionally in the direction of making steps ahead forward of our subsequent checks in January, in parallel with ongoing R1 WorldSBK set-up refinements and common rider preparation for the primary race. Now, we have now a month and a half to totally examine all the info collected throughout this take a look at to verify the subsequent evolution of our bike specification prepared for the 2025 season.”

Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Group) took half in his second winter take a look at with the official 2025 Ninja ZX-10RR operating within the crew’s 2025 season livery for the primary time.

After a promising first take a look at at Jerez last month Gerloff had the chance to make much more progress since just lately becoming a member of Kawasaki, discovering out extra about his bike and crew.

Gerloff set a better of 1m38.839 on the second day, after making an attempt out qualifying tyres in addition to race tyres. Garrett was the quickest WorldSBK rider on day one of many two-day take a look at. The American accomplished 150 laps throughout the 2 day.

Garrett Gerloff – Kawasaki

“The take a look at was good and I believe it was constructive. For positive I believe we made one step in comparison with the final time we have been right here, in order that feels good. We’re nonetheless in search of extra however I’m fairly pleased with the way it went right here. I used Q tyres as a result of I’m making an attempt to work on my qualifying tempo – however that’s what I’m nonetheless a bit of annoyed about. I really feel like I get to a wall and I can’t go any sooner. But it surely has been like that on every bike I’ve ridden in WorldSBK, so it isn’t this bike. It’s very nice to be operating within the official colors at this take a look at and to have all the pieces like we are able to see it now. It’s a actually huge programme and a really huge effort from these guys. I do know it will be good so we simply have to preserve specializing in ourselves.”

Manuel Puccetti – Kawasaki Group Principal

“It was a really constructive take a look at, particularly contemplating that Garrett was solely on his second outing with Kawasaki. He was at all times very quick and helped us acquire a whole imaginative and prescient of the potential of our bike and what are the areas we have to give attention to within the subsequent checks. We used the 2025 livery for the primary time, which I actually favored. It’s the one which Kawasaki prospects will discover on the manufacturing bike, to which we have now clearly added our sponsors.”

The primary take a look at of 2025 is once more at Jerez, on January 22-23, adopted by Portimao the subsequent week for the ultimate European take a look at earlier than all of them wing their method to Phillip Island the place they are going to take a look at on February 17-18 forward of the season opener on the Victorian venue on the weekend of February 23.