The opening three rounds of WorldSBK have shown that the new regulations have helped close the field and improve the racing, but also that Kawasaki and Ducati are still the class of the field.
The green and red bikes are unbeaten through six races, but Aragon showed that the balance of power could shift from one circuit to another.
Can Ducati Maintain Its Momentum?
The story of Aragon was the dominance enjoyed by Ducati, which is strange to say after a weekend where Jonathan Rea scored 45 points, but he was on the back foot in Spain.
With four Ducati’s at the front, Michael Ruben Rinaldi making his WorldSBK debut, it was a horde of red machines pressuring Rea, but the champion was able to see them off in Race 1.
Having been forced to come through the field, following a Superpole crash, Chaz Davies wasn’t able to catch Rea in Race 1 but he made no mistake in Race 2.
The form of Xavi Fores and Rinaldi illustrated the pace of Ducati in Aragon and with Assen having been Jonathan Rea’s playground in recent years it will be very interesting to see if the balance of power has shifted.
“Best Weekend in a Long Time” Gives Rea Confidence
Beware of the wounded animal, and Jonathan Rea certainly feels slighted by the regulation changes.
The Kawasaki has clearly been hit hard by the new regulations, but with Rea leading the standings and having won the opening races in Thailand and Aragon, it has been clear that on a clear track the Kawasaki is still the fastest bike on the grid.
The battle through the pack in Race 2 has been a struggle however, and Rea has been pressed a lot harder to get to the front than we have seen in recent years.
After an Aragon weekend that Rea hailed as one of the best weekends, he’s enjoyed in a long time he comes to one of his favourite circuits buoyed with confidence.
Finishing School
The past winners list at Assen is a veritable who’s who of WorldSBK history. Since 1992 there have been 19 different riders standing on the top step of the podium and an amazing 13 of them are WorldSBK champions.
Assen was called the University at one point because it was seen as the finishing school for future champions in Grand Prix racing, many famous names claimed their first victories here, and the record books show that in WorldSBK the cream also rises to the top.
Rea, just one win behind Carl Fogarty, is chasing the record books this weekend and an eighth consecutive Dutch success, at what is now called “The Cathedral”.
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