Yamaha World Superbike rider Jonathan Rea is aiming to move on from the ‘disappointment’ of Aragon in Spain and finish the season on a competitive footing.
Estoril in Portugal is back on the calendar this year and hosts the penultimate round this weekend before the Championship finale at Jerez in Spain a week later from October 18-20.
Rea made his comeback at Aragon from a thumb injury he sustained at the French round at Magny-Cours, which forced him to miss the ninth round at Cremona in Italy.
The six-time world champion — 14th in the Championship — was 14th, 12th and 13th respectively at Aragon, where he admitted that his “pace wasn’t good enough”.
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Rea’s move from Kawasaki to the Pata Prometeon Yamaha team this year has not gone according to plan, but the Championship’s most successful rider ever is hoping to close out the season in a positive way before turning his attention to an improved campaign next year.
“Estoril is a track that I really enjoy,” said Rea, who won his sixth world crown in a row at the Portuguese track in 2020.
“It was a late addition to the WorldSBK calendar in my career, so I haven’t done too much mileage there but I have some great memories, none more so than in 2020, when I won my sixth World Championship title.
“Of course, Estoril has been absent for a couple of years from the calendar so Friday will be an important day to get up to speed, understand the circuit again and try to continue getting the best out of our Yamaha R1.
“It’s got a little bit of everything: fast, flowing sections and tight, twisty sections, and a long straight to negotiate.
“There is plenty to consider when putting our package together.
“The target for us this weekend is to be a bit more competitive; Aragon was a disappointment and these next races come in quick succession, so we will try to start in the best way possible in Estoril.”
Turkey’s Toprak Razgatlioglu — who left Yamaha to sign for BMW — could be crowned champion this weekend.
Razgatlioglu holds a 39-point advantage over Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega with six races left.