Jonathan Rea: “We’re really lost. I don’t have confidence to push”
Jonathan Rea says issues with chatter and rear vibration reಌmain after a very challenging Saturday at Phillip Island.
A dismal day-one got even worse for Jonathan Rea on the opening raceday of the 2024 Wor❀ldSBK season.
After a poor qualifying which left him stranded in the midfield, Rea struggled to make any meaningful 🎀progress be🔯fore losing out at the mandatory pit stop sequence.
The s♔ix-time WorldSBK champion came out of the pits battling with Alvaro Bautista, who had previously𒊎 crashed at turn ten.
The pair re-joined the action in 17th and 18th before 🌊Bautista pulled clear of Rea, who suffered one of his worst races as a Superbike rider.
“It was really difficult from when the lights went out as I got a bad start,” began Rea. “Made some good headway in turns one and two, got back some track position and then was fꦫighting with Domi [Aegerter] at one point and Van Der ꧅Mark.
“I decided to pit at the earliest moment and then we just had a smal🅘l issue that prohibited me from exiting on track.
“I existed with Bautista and could ride with him for a few laps at his rhythm, but the four or five laps started making some ꦗmistakes.
“I struggle🗹d passing Rabat as well. Once I cleared him and could do my lines I found some more rhythm. But it’s frustrating. We can’t catch a break from👍 Portimao to here we have had a few curve balls thrown our way.
“But we’re still here showing up and tomorrow we have to try a set-up change because I’m really not happy with the bike, the way the bike is handling; it’s knocking so𒅌me co❀nfidence out of me.
“We know WorldSBK is so competitive so you need the bike to work🌄 but also to feel comfortable on the bike to push.
“I feel like I’m just riding and managing bu⛄t that’s not enough to trouble the top ten.”
When starting further down the field Rea𓄧 has always been able to cut his way through the 🥂field brilliantly.
But there we𒆙re no signs of that durꦆing Race 1 even before his pit stop issues, and the former Kawasaki rider was clear as to why.
Rea said: “Honestly, we’re lost. We’re really lost. We need🉐 to try and fix the issues we’ve been having. Hard to say I’m confident right now.
“I k💙now that when I feel good with the bike like I did in Jerez, and at times in Portimao, I can fly.
“It’s more a case of exercising patience and we know we have a lot of potential ahead of us. It’s a bit like surfing, we’re waiting for that perfect wave but it’s not💃 coming. But I’m sure it will soon.
“The biggest issue here is chatter and rear vibration with theܫ bike on the bumps. We have tried a lot, we’ve tried to take a lot of grip out of the bike.
“We’ve almost exercised every option but while that remains there I d♛on’t have the confiꩲdence to push.”
