SBK, Rea after the fall: “I’m okay, I’d be glad if I could race today”

Fifteenth at the end of the first test day at Phillip Island, Jonathan Rea had a high side at Turn 11 that forced him to go to the medical center for a knee contusion.  Interviewed in Australia, the rider from Northern Ireland reassured everyone about his condition. “I’m more or less okay,” he said. “I was exiting the corner, and I skidded slightly. Nothing crazy. But when I got back on the gas, there was so much grip that I was thrown towards the inside of the bike. I fell violently on my shoulder and, when I reached the gravel, the R1 hit me behind my legs. Even though part of my back hurts, and I feel the effects of the accident, all the tests were negative. I think the bruises will come out soon, so I’ll try to rest, that way, I’ll be at my best for the race.”

Besides the fall, the six-time SBK world champion admitted that he encountered critical issues during these last tests of the start of the season. “It was a tough session. I had a hard time getting comfortable with the hard tires, even if I feel good on the bike. Let’s say that, when I try to push to the max, it’s difficult to identify the true limit. In general, when we look for a time, we’re not far off, but the pace needs to be improved. For the next two days, I’ll try to figure out, along with the technicians, how to ride with the hard and how to bring the bike to my needs. That way, we could do better.”

As we know, after years with Kawasaki, Johnny embarked on a new adventure with Yamaha. “It’s great to face an unprecedented challenge, to be able to work with a new group, and to give input for the development of the bike. It’s a breath of fresh air. You can never be entirely ready. You start from scratch and gradually build up.  I’m still learning. But, if the race were today, I’d be happy.”

Finally, a hint at what the GP could offer, starting from the fact that, this Tuesday, he raced around  1’28”. “We don’t know if we’ll be doing twenty-two laps or if the flag-to-flag will be adopted, like in the past. I know some are suffering with the tires, others less. In a normal situation, we should be on 1’29, but if we were to opt for the full round, we could be slower. In summary, the approach we’ll be taking will depend on the format chosen,” he concluded.