SBK, Kawasaki set to return to Jerez on January 28 for a day of testing

Like Ducati and Honda, Kawasaki also preferred not to take to the track at Jerez in the two days of testing scheduled on the Spanish track. Bad weather ruined all the plans and the teams did not want to waste days of testing on a circuit that would not allow them to collect useful data for the development of the bikes.

Kawasaki had already started work on the new ZX-10RR last November and will be back on track in exactly one week, January 28, once again in Jerez.

“It is a great shame not to test but the track is not going to be perfect today, so we decided to call it early,” explained Jonathan Rea. “The guys can pack up and everyone can go home a little bit earlier. With the new regulations in place for limited test days, we need to be clever and use these days when they are most important. Right now we need to confirm some important items in dry conditions, that we already tested at Jerez the end of last season.”

Alex Lowes joked: “This is typical English weather - so I must have brought it with me! It is a shame but the first thing to say is that there has been so much effort from the guys, especially with the Corona virus restrictions, to put everything in place to get us down here to test. So thank you to them. It is a shame the weather did not cooperate this time but it has been nice to see everyone – and see my bike again.”

Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, said: “We were here for a two day test but still the track is wet and it is raining. With the new rules we have, for a limited number of testing days through the year, we decided to cancel. It is a shame because we had some engine items to test, but this is life; something we cannot control.”

Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, added: “After the November test, where we did 95% of the job we normally do in a winter test, we were very confident here to re-start the 2021 schedule. Unfortunately, we have had some wet conditions but on the other side we are confident of the job we have done so far. We already said to each other that if we had to race tomorrow, we would be ready. Next week we have the opportunity to test for one day at a sunny Jerez, so we will return and continue our plan.”