Jonathan Rea continues to have a tough time in the early stages of his stay at Pata Prometeon Yamaha in the World Superbike Championship. The Barcelona round proved to be challenging for the six-time champion, who is struggling to adapt to the new bike – in a very balanced field where tenths of a second make all the difference.
The British rider arrived at the Catalan circuit with higher hopes, especially after the good indications from the test held there days before. However, the results were disappointing: he retired from the first race due to a clutch problem, finished 13th in the Superpole race after a track exit in the first corner, and ended on a better note with an eighth place in the second race – the best result after the first two rounds. However, Rea admitted he was disappointed: ‘Overall, it was a very disappointing weekend‘.
Finally, the natural pilot from Northern Ireland stated: ‘We are not fighting for the podium, that is always the goal. The category is tough; last year you could be a bit less well and easily fight in the top ten. Now, if something is not right or the stars are not aligned, you are struggling‘.
