Last weekend saw the end of the 2022 season World Superbike Championship. It also saw a great weekend of results for both Kawasaki Riders.
Jonathan Rea had two podium finishes, with a 1st and 2nd in Race 1 & 2. Alex Lowes also secured a 3rd place finish in Race 2 & 3.
The day saw varying weather, starting off wet but drying rapidly for the Superpole race.
A two-rider crash cut the year’s last race short by 5 laps. Rea was challenging for the win, the changing track conditions and tyre choices saw Alvaro Bautista pass by to take the win.
Lowes passed Razgatlioglu for 3rd place in Race Two before the red flag was shown.
With the final race of the season over, this leaves Jonathan Rea in 3rd with 502 points and Alex Lowes in 6th with 272 points, just 2 points from a top-five position.
Check back for Winter testing for next season. World SBK will be back in Phillip Island in February next year for the first races of next season. We can’t wait and look forward to KRT WorldSBK going from strength to strength!
Well done and congratulations to the whole team and riders at KRT World SBK!
“After race two there is a mixture of disappointment and happiness to finish the year this way because I felt in that race that my bike set-up was much better. We had more stability, more traction, side grip and acceleration off the corner. But in sector four I just lost too much. It was everything I could do to be there again at Turn Four, by taking too much risk and using up some tyres. Even doing that the tyre wasn’t dropping, so kudos to Pirelli. I think bringing these harder construction tyres for Phillip Island is the way forward. The race might be a little slower, but to stay in the 1’31 flat lap times, right to the end, was really very good. I think we have to be really satisfied with our effort this season. Of course, I made a few mistakes along the way but also I think the final results are a highlight of where we are. We need to improve, but in saying that I think we were more or less 25 points away from Toprak Razgatlioglu at the end of the season – the guy who won the championship last year. This year there was a new weapon to fight at the front so we need to maximise all we can. The team has been fantastic, and in the tough moments we have shown how strong a team we are.”
“At this track, this bike is quite stable and that helps. I have always gone well here. I think without the red flag I could have still fought for third position anyway in the final race. When I knew I could not catch Jonathan and Alvaro. I dropped my lap time by maybe half a second, trying to look after my tyres on the left side. I knew for sure that I was going to get ‘Topraked’ at the end of the race! When I passed him it looked like he was struggling more than me; his bike was sliding and was a bit unstable. I was sure it was going to be a last lap battle. I was looking forward to it because I have not had a good battle with him this year. It is just good to be up there competing with those guys in the races, in all the track and weather conditions. A strong end to the season for me.”
