REA RELISHES FIRST PODIUM FOR YAMAHA
Jonathan Rea and Pata Prometeon Yamaha celebrated the first podium of their 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship partnership at the team’s home round at Donington Park today, with a third-place finish in the 10-lap Superpole Race.
From eighth place on the grid, Rea made a brilliant start and aggressive passes to jump into the podium positions on the opening lap. As a chaotic sprint race developed behind him, the Northern Irishman had a superb run through to the chequered flag with his consistent pace keeping him a good step ahead of the chasing pack.
Though unable to repeat the result in Race 2, Rea and his crew leave the UK Round in positive spirits after his best weekend on the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK to date.
Race 2 was challenging with Rea struggling to find grip on the picturesque 4.023km circuit in front of more than 52,000 British fans. Jonathan finished eighth, one place behind his team-mate Andrea Locatelli, with both R1 riders showing podium pace over the race’s final laps.
There’s a quick turnaround now for the WorldSBK paddock with round six of the season taking place next week at Autodrom Most in the Czech Republic.
Jonathan Rea – SPRC: P3 / Race 2: P8
“The podium this morning was great! If I look at the weekend as a whole, we faced some challenges but also I think we’ve caught a bit of a positive wave! My feeling with the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK is much better. In the Superpole Race, I got a great start – I was thinking to go down the inside but just released the brake and went around the outside, got some great track position and then I was able to make some really nice laps in the beginning to stay with Toprak and Nicolo for a bit and just settle into my rhythm. It was a nice feeling and a great little bonus for everybody in the team! We couldn’t capitalise as much with track position in Race 2 even though I started on the front row, I struggled from the get-go with rear traction. The bike was almost the same as the Superpole Race but the feeling was not the same which we will look into. I was sort of slip-sliding around with my teammate Loka, and I just gritted my teeth for as long as I could with Bautista and Petrucci coming through. Disappointing to finish the weekend at Donington like that with eighth in Race 2, but we can take a lot of positives to Most next week. Not long to wait to race again and it will be nice to carry the momentum with a good feeling with bike and the team from this morning and see what we can do there.”