KRT enjoy positive but short WorldSBK test at Portimao

Kawasaki Racing Team took advantage of a quite day at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao to continue preperations for the 2021 World Superbike season. 
Jonathan Rea, Kawasaki Racing Team, Circuit de Catalunya,
Jonathan Rea, Kawasaki Racing Team, Circuit de Catalunya,
© Kawasaki Racing Team

Jonathan Rea got more laps in on his new Ninja ZX-10RR ahead of his title defence, while Team Orelac Kawasaki were the other team in attendance for today's test at Portimao.

Rea was carrying the team's track duties with team-mate Alex Lowes not present as he continues to recover from a training injury. 

The six-time WorldSBK champion managed to work through the major parts of the programme, but with an ever-changing weather forecast, the team decided to halt their track-time to half a day. 

Rea still managed to complete almost 50 laps and lapped quicker than in the race meetings from 2020. The Northern Irishman used a SCX rear tyre to set a best time of 1:41,4s. 

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Speaking after the test, Rea said: “It has been a positive test because looking at the weather forecast before we arrived we were not sure how much track time we were going to get.

"But we did 48 laps today. I felt good with the bike and I was immediately quite fast. The Portimao circuit did a good job of the new asphalt as well.

"I was able to try that out but more importantly we focused on the bike set-up and confirming some major items that we will start the season with. We played around with gearbox ratios, final gearings, and also worked with electronic strategies for managing the power.

"I feel quite comfortable with that now and we were able to achieve very good lap times."

Rea had some new parts to try which included focusing on the aerodynamics of the bike. One of these was a new seat unit which provided good data going into the next test's. 

Rea added: "The latest seat unit arrived so we focused on the aerodynamics of the bike, getting a comfortable riding position. With the new seat unit, and the wing tunnels in the rear of it, we were able to get some really good info.

"We did some back-to-back testing with the old fairing and the new fairing, in addition to the new seat unit. We were able to see that the 2021 version had some extra speed in a straight line, which was quite encouraging. Now we can pack up happy and healthy and move on."

Rea's crew chief Pere Riba was also on hand to shed some news on what the team was looking to improve after the first test in Jerez. 

Riba said: "At our previous test at Jerez it was very important for us to try some different electronics and the feeling was very positive; Johnny felt very good.

"Of course things had to be confirmed at another track and in another way. The weather forecast here was not so good so we started at 9am and with what we had in Jerez.

"We reconfirmed the direction we want to go in with development, and Johnny was fast. Very fast. The track has new tarmac and I feel it is still not in the same shape as it was before."

The team will now have a further tests at Jerez once again, along with Barcelona before the opening round of the 2021 season in Estoril.  

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