WorldSBK Indonesia: Rea reels from ‘career worst result’

KRT’s Jonathan Rea was fighting an intestinal bug before he even started racing at Mandalika, but he also ended up fighting some riders he never expected to in any WorldSBK race. He even had to battle hard to keep his own teammate Alex Lowes at bay, with Rea a lowly ninth and Lowes tenth by Saturday’s flag.

Bautista and Razgatlioglu finishing up ahead is one thing, and Locatelli was a bona-fide factory rider on the Race One podium. But Bassani, Petrucci, Van der Mark, Vierge and Aegerter? In any normal time they would be Rea fodder all day and half the next day but it is not normal times for a Kawasaki team that is clearly not at its peak compared to previous years. Maybe they will come good soon, but up until Race One at Mandalika, it has been a kind of disaster.

“Seriously, when my bike is working well, it’s working very well,” said Rea, who came to see the media even though he was not one of the top six finishers. “When it has grip, everything is balanced and I can really make the difference. The problem when the front tyre is destroyed, you can’t make the difference. You can’t push the bike like you like. You’re more just balancing.

“It’s a balancing act to bring the bike home.

“So, we have to take some responsibility that we’re not getting the setup perfect right now, but I feel when everything’s good we’re still getting the best out of the bike.”

Rea was also penalised by three grid positions for slowing on the racing line just as Philipp Öttl and his GoEleven Ducati were on a fast lap. Rea didn’t see him, but should not have slowed in any case, and he put his hand up to take the blame, and accept his punishment.

“In Superpole I got a lap cancelled [a yellow flag he could do nothing about] and then of course the