News

After four post-season winter tests in 2015, the entire Kawasaki Racing Team has learned much about its all-new 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R machines, particularly the riders Tom Sykes and Jonathan Rea. They left a four-day test session at Jerez in Spain last week as the top two riders on the timesheets, in addition to demonstrating what they believe was the strongest pace on race tyres.

With four days on-track this past week at the 4.423km-long Jerez circuit, despite a rest day on Wednesday, both Sykes and Rea exploited their 'Winter Test Four' opportunities to the maximum on the new Ninja, despite Rea missing out on some track time today after a fall that damaged his bike in the early afternoon.

Using a qualifying rear tyre to get a feel for the new Kawasaki on the same rubber the riders will use for Superpole qualifying in 2016, Sykes set a best lap of the tests today with a 1’39.313. This was well under his own best lap set at the 2015 Jerez race, of 1’40.292.

Rea was also running at a very high tempo when he tried a qualifying tyre, setting a 1’39.524 lap, in addition to a 1’40.1 best on race tyres. His race pace, like that of Sykes, was class leading in a test attended my most of their top rivals at some stage.

Sykes and Rea had pushed their machines to the limit at this test in late November, given the dry and relatively warm track conditions on each and every day. Each bounced back from falls at certain times as they tried new and sometimes experimental settings at their maximum potential. Each completed the tests in good physical condition and with positive feelings about their new machine and its possibilities for the 2016 season.

Winter Test Four is the last of the 2015 calendar year, but the team will return to Spain for more track time on the all-new Ninja ZX-10R in January, after the end of the test ban period. After those sessions they should be at full readiness for the first round of the new season in Australia on February 28^th, which will be preceded by the usual official organisers’ test at the host circuit of Phillip Island.

Tom Sykes:
“We did a great time on a race tyre and also on a qualifying tyre. We have been fast on both of those over this week, so I am happy with that, but the big picture was working for race distance. Even this afternoon the track felt in bad condition compared to Monday and Tuesday, yet we have still improved our performance on used tyres. We still set some good lap times even after 22 laps. This was the most rewarding thing for me because this is something we have struggled with this year. If we can keep working in this way, with this mentality for the tests in January, then this is all we can ask for. It has been great, so a real big credit to the mechanics because we had a few offs at the beginning of the week and they had to work hard. With the amount of changes they have made to the settings, they have not stopped. Thanks to Marcel and Danilo for doing a good test plan and giving me what we need.”

Jonathan Rea:
“All in all, I am really happy because we have done lots of race simulations and tests already in November, which for me is unheard of. We used a Q tyre (on Friday), which was really good. It opened my eyes a little bit about where we can improve the setup of our new bike a bit further. For the rest, pretty much until (Thursday), we had finalised the main items to test. On Friday went back to a front setup and confirmed some things with that. Everything was going okay and I was making runs on race tyres. I’m sure I could have improved my lap time, but I’m really happy with the job. The bike seems to be working already as a good base and I am happy to finish the test healthy, to enjoy the break until we resume again in January.”