​Jonathan Rea hails ‘most valuable’ test after two-day World Superbike stint at Motorland Aragon

Rea and his Kawasaki team are hoping to make gains with the ZX-10RR before round three of the World Superbike Championship at Assen in the Netherlands, which takes place from April 21-23.

The 36-year-old Ulsterman has endured a nightmare start to the season and is currently sixth in the standings after six races, 68 points behind dominant reigning champion Alvaro Bautista on the Aruba.it Ducati.

Rea, who crashed out of fifth place in the final race of the weekend at Mandalika in Indonesia earlier this month, will also take advantage of a further test next week at Catalunya in Barcelona.

“This has been probably the most valuable test we have had for the 2023 season, because in the winter the conditions are cold and sometimes damp, so you don’t get on track until lunchtime,” said the six-time world champion.

“Here, we were able to be on track from 9.30am to 6pm, so we maximised the good weather.

“Now we are looking forward to testing again at Barcelona next week, which is another track that can throw up some difficulties.

“But I think the information we have gathered here will be very useful there, especially when it comes to making front stability and front grip much better - and more linear - throughout the longer runs.”

Rea was fastest overall in the two-day private test at Aragon, which was also attended by factory Honda riders Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona, plus WSBK and current British Superbike champion Bradley Ray, who will make his race debut in the series at Assen on the Motoxracing Yamaha.

Rea’s best time of 1m 49.482s put him ahead of Vierge (1m 49.565s) and Lecuona (1m 49.584s), with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) next (1m 49.585s). Ray lapped in 1m 51.716s on day two of the test.

Rea added: “It has been nice to spin a lot of laps at a circuit that we know well.

“We have a lot of information for the engineers to put together and try to make a step forward.

“We were testing some new ideas from a chassis point of view. We also tested a swingarm specification.

“Yesterday I completed two race simulations with some positive results about the target of the test, which was to take some weight off the front tyre. We found some positives.

“From an electronics point of view we worked on some other items and different strategies, and put it all together,” Rea said.

"I have to thank all the mechanics and crew because they worked hard.

“There were a lot of chassis changes that took some time, but they did them all fast. That meant I could maximise track time.”