Indonesian WorldSBK: Jonathan Rea ‘expects to be stronger’, Lombok ‘more of a gauge’ than Phillip Island
The six-time 🌼world champion left Australia with just one (wet) podium to his credit, and already 31 points behind Ducati’s reigning champion Alvaro Bautista, after an unexpectedly difficult event for the latest ZX-ꩵ10RR.
"All of a sudden, bang, I had no grip whatsoever," Rea said after an eighth place in race two. "It’s a bit of a head-scratcher to be honest. I don’t think this result reflects the tr💦ue reality of where we are."
The Northern Irishman now returns to Mandalika, 𒊎where he celebrated three podiums last year and took victory in both inﷺaugural 2021 SBK races (when the Superpole contest was cancelled due to bad weather).
“It’s good to start the 2023 season at the two circuits where we finished the previous season﷽,” Rea said. “We will try to capitalise at Lombok with some good points scores and look forward to understanding the year in general.
- Yamaha ‘can’t imagine’ V4 engine switch, ‘en𒁏ormous task’
- 168澳洲幸ꦿ运5官方开奖结果历史:Keith Huewen: ‘World domination for Ducati then?’
- MotoGP aꦜerodynamics: Ride-height as ‘DRS’, moveabl𝔍e fairings in future?
“Last year in Lombok I felt good until🍒 the last part of the races where the riskꦫs I was taking were really overloading the front.
“I exp🐈ect to be stronger in Lo♓mbok than I was last year. We will go and try our best.
“Lombok will be more of a gauge for us than Phillip Island, as it is mor♍e of a normal circuit design - although it will 🥃be very hot.”
Alex Lowes: ‘We have got work to do’
While Rea is optimistic about a better w⭕eekenꦑd, team-mate Alex Lowes is yet to finish higher than seventh in Indonesia.
The Englishman arrives after a lone fourth place, betw꧑een a pair of DNFs in Australia, the last of which also bro🅠ught down Toprak Razgatlioglu.
“Mandalika was our worst track last year and Phillip Island was our best track. I have oജne target for next week and that is to enjoy riding because I t🐠hink it might be a tough weekend for us,” said Lowes.
“We have worked really hard to improve our package but it looks like either we have dropped back or all of our opposition h𝐆ave jumped a bit forwa🌄rd.
“We have g🐎ot work to do. It is going to be hot and slippy, which are not the best conditions for us. We will work hard from Frid♕ay, enjoy it and try to grind out three good results.”
Peter෴ has been in the paddock for 20🅘 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
