Jonathan Rea reflects on 'decent winter' after concluding final European winter World Superbike test

The six-time champion was second quickest overall at the two-day test on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR, only 0.009s down on Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista.

Rea was close to breaking into the 1m 38s bracket at Portimao for the first time, posting his best lap in 1m 39.044s as four riders dipped under the Ulsterman’s 2022 Superpole lap record of 1m 39.610s.

World champion Bautista’s team-mate Michael Ruben Rinaldi was third quickest (1m 39.144s) on the new Panigale V4R with Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu also under the lap record in 1m 39.441s.

Rea, third in last year’s world championship, will next be on track at Phillip Island for an official two-day test from February 20-21 before the season opener begins in earnest at the spectacular Australian track a few days later, where Rea was a winner in race one in November.

“Our test was positive,” Rea said. “Again, we were just step-by-step working with the new electronics guys, and the changes they made to my requests.

“So we have more of an understanding, a good understanding, already. Of course, it is still a work in progress.

“From the testing side we had some development rear tyres from Pirelli to try. Last week in the Jerez test we had front tyres to test, this time it was two different options of SCX rears.

“The track was in strange shape because I was much better with harder compound tyres than softer tyres. Every time we put a softer tyre in, trying to make a time attack, the lap time wasn’t coming.”

The 36-year-old feels he made a step forward with the chassis at the test and is satisfied with the work he has completed with his team over the winter.

“From a chassis point of view we tried a couple of new items at this test that influenced the bike in a really positive direction, so I feel we have made a step,” said Rea.

“You never really know until the lights go out but I think that we have had a decent winter, albeit a short one. I am quite happy with our two days’ work at Portimao.”

Rea’s team-mate Alex Lowes ninth fastest on the combined times from the test.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha) was fifth quickest on day two on Wednesday ahead of Team HRC’s Iker Lecuona, while Remy Gardner was the leading series newcomer in seventh on the GRT Yamaha.

The returning Tom Sykes was ninth on the Puccetti Kawasaki in front of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC).

Scott Redding was down in 16th on the factory BMW, with team-mate Michael van der Mark in 12th.

Reigning British Superbike champion Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing) was 19th fastest on day two.

Former British Superbike champion Tarran Mackenzie was in action in the Supersport class on the MIE Honda but no times were recorded.