Jonathan Rea explains Czech WorldSBK FP1 crash: “I got completely caught off guard”
Jonathan Rea says his FP1 crash at the Czech WorldSBK was “unfortunate, but lucky at the same time”.
WorldSBK FP1 at the Czech World Superbike round saw four red flags for five different crashes, one of which was for Jonathan Rea.
Rea’s crash was the first of those that brought out the red flag. He lost the rear through turns eight and nine; fortunately the bike spun out underneath him, rather than high-siding him, and he was unable to get out for the rest of the session.
“I got completely caught off guard,” said Rea, speaking to the international TV feed during FP1.
“I really hope it was a damp patch because I felt good in the first few laps.
“I completely lost the rear. I looked at the data. Traction control was covering. Then, all of a sudden…
“Tyre temperatures were all good. So it’s frustrating.
“Unfortunate – but lucky at the same time.
“The guys have got a bit of work on now [to fix the bike].”
The other crashes were for Andrea Iannone, Remy Gardner, Nicolo Bulega, and Andrea Locatelli. All bar Locatelli were taken to the medical centre.
Iannone’s and Gardner’s happened within moments of each other at the same corner, Iannone’s coming first. The Italian was favouring his right leg in the gravel trap, and Gardner was diagnosed with multiple contusions at the medical centre – he will be reviewed before FP2 on Friday afternoon.
Bulega was carried away on a stretcher when he crashed in the middle of turn six with 13 minutes to go.
Locatelli, who had been behind Gardner when he crashed at the final corner, crashed with 03:53 left on the clock at turn 17, and the session wasn’t restarted.
Alex joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having covered consumer and racing motorcycle news at Visordown for two years.
