World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea back in action this week at Jerez test in Spain

The Northern Ireland rider got to grips with the Ninja ZX-10RR Superbike for the first time at the end of last season and made an instant impression, topping the times on the final day of a two-day test at Jerez in November. The new Kawasaki features a striking aerodynamic design, with internal winglets providing up increased downforce at high speeds, plus a higher revving engine to boost corner exit acceleration and top-end speed.

Rea and team-mate Alex Lowes will blow off the winter cobwebs on Wednesday and Thursday at the WSBK test, where Aruba.it Ducati’s Scott Redding and new team-mate Michael Ruben Rinaldi will also be present, plus Team HRC’s Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam. Chaz Davies will also make his debut for Team Go Eleven Ducati after losing his ride with the official Ducati squad.

Rea, who remains the man to beat in 2021 following his record sixth successive world title last year, said: “It is nice to get back to riding the bike so soon after the Christmas break. The engineers have had a chance to understand our comments from the November test, where we gave the 2021 Ninja ZX-10RR its first shakedown and I started to feel comfortable on the bike.

“The biggest thing we need to understand in these coming tests is engine character. We will have new parts and we will work together with my electronic engineer to give me the feeling that I really like. Apart from that, it is just nice to see everyone again.

“The following test is not scheduled for a while so this one breaks up that huge gap and I hope we get consistent weather,” he added.

“Jerez is a good test track because we have a lot of info here, so it is very easy to compare. I have been working really hard this off season, so it will be nice to get back on the bike and get that riding feeling again.”

The next test for Rea and Kawasaki will be at Portimao in Portugal from March 4-5.

Round one of the World Superbike Championship is scheduled to take place at Assen from April 23-25.

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