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The official race report service of Kawasaki Racing Team.

6 September 2022

Season Restart Coming Soon For KRT

The five weekend long summer break in WorldSBK action will shortly come to an end when KRT duo Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes head to the popular French circuit of Magny Cours. WorldSBK track action will get underway on Friday 9 September and race days will be held on 10 and 11 September.

The most recent competitive races in WorldSBK were during round six, at Most in the Czech Republic, right at the end of July.

Despite a long break in their regular championship season the KRT pairing of Lowes and Rea have been busy - first as podium finishers at the Suzuka 8 Hours and then as part of a well-attended WorldSBK test session at the team’s literal hometown track of Barcelona - Catalunya.

As we cross over the halfway point of the season this coming weekend Rea is still very much in championship contention, just 31 points from the lead. He has already secured fifteen podiums, including five wins, and will be out for more at the 4.411km long Magny Cours circuit.

Lowes scored a podium in Race One at Donington Park in July, and will look for more of the same in France to reassert himself in the championship standings.

In the championship fight Rea is second with 267 points and Lowes is eight, with 113 points.

Magny Cours is an often used and highly respected WorldSBK circuit, featuring an almost equal number of left and right hand corners and great contrasts between its fastest sections and its two tight hairpins. Rea has won nine WorldSBK races at Magny Cours, all for Kawasaki.

After the Magny Cours round the KRT squad’s home race weekend will take place at the Circuit de Barcelona - Catalunya between 23-25 September.

Jonathan Rea, stated: “Magny Cours is a great place to start this last part of the season. It is one of the most important parts of the year because we will have six rounds in very quick succession. It is important to be very strong, consistent and to stay healthy throughout that period. Magny Cours is a good circuit for the team and me, and our Ninja ZX-10RR works well there. I have a lot of happy memories. Being September now, and coming into the autumn in Europe, we have to expect anything in terms of weather. We will be prepared either way. After a really solid test a couple of weeks ago in Barcelona I feel like we have a good base to start the weekend. The target is to be on the podium.”

Alex Lowes, stated: “I’ve had a really good few weeks off to reset and recharge the batteries. We found some improvements with our base setting at the Montmelo test recently and I’m fully motivated to move on now for more podiums during this second part of the championship. Magny Cours is always a fun track and one that I’ve had some nice results at in the past. I can’t wait to get back out there on my ZX-10RR and working with all the crew.”

Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) is looking forward to his home round as he aims for as season best finish in front of his local fans.

Rookie WorldSBK rider Oliver König (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) returns for his Spanish-based team. Oscar Gutierrez (Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) will race for the TPR squad for the first time in France, after a successful test during the summer break.

2022 KRT Rider WorldSBK Statistics

Jonathan Rea: World Champion 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020
2022: Races 18, Wins 5, Podiums 15, Superpoles 3
Career Race Wins: 117 (102 for Kawasaki)
Career Podiums: 230 (188 for Kawasaki)
Career Poles: 38 (34 for Kawasaki)

Alex Lowes:
2022: Races: 17, Wins 0, Podiums 1, Superpoles 0
Career Race Wins: 2 (1 for Kawasaki)
Career Podiums: 30 (10 for Kawasaki)
Career Poles: 1 (0 for Kawasaki)

8 x Riders’ Championships (Scott Russell 1993, Tom Sykes 2013, Rea 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020), 1 x EVO Riders’ Championship (David Salom 2014)
6 x Manufacturers’ Championships (Ninja ZX-10R 2015 & 2016, Ninja ZX-10RR 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020)
5 x Teams’ Championships (KRT/Provec Racing 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019)

Kawasaki FIM Superbike World Championship Statistics
Total Kawasaki Race Wins: 176 – second overall
Total Kawasaki Podiums: 505 – second overall
Total Kawasaki Poles: 103 – second overall

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