Andrea Locatelli and Jonathan Rea both took positives from the final day of competition at Circuito de Jerez, the season finale for the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship in Spain today, before shifting their focus to Yamaha’s intensive development programme for 2025.
Locatelli led the way for Pata Prometeon Yamaha in the Superpole Race, taking a fine fifth place but found himself unable to replicate his third-place podium from yesterday in the final race of the weekend this afternoon. The Italian #55 ran in third position on the opening lap of Race 2, making another fantastic start to surge forward and claim strong track position by Turn 1. As the race developed, Locatelli struggled with a combination of braking performance and rear grip, but worked to stay in the large podium contention group.
Running in ninth position in the Superpole Race, Rea looked set to reverse his fortunes for Sunday and improve his grid start for Race 2. Late challenges from Dominique Aegerter and Alvaro Bautista flipped the cards though, and P11 at the flag meant a Race 2 start from the fifth row of the grid. While he was able to make up another six positions in the final race of the weekend, a hard-fought ninth place at the chequered flag was less than the Northern Irishman’s understandably high expectations.
With preparation for next season well underway behind-the-scenes, Pata Prometeon Yamaha, it’s riders and crew turn now to the first winter test next month in Jerez, scheduled for 26-27 November.
Andrea Locatelli – SPRC: P5 / Race 2: P8
“It was a difficult Race 2 for us compared to the podium result yesterday. In the beginning, I was in third place and we started with a good pace, but then I struggled during the race to stop the bike and make better turning. It was hard to keep the rear grip, starting from the initial braking problem. Yesterday we had really good results and today the feeling was not the same, it was difficult to try to repeat the same result. It was also a difficult season, but we always pushed hard to stay on top and in the last rounds, we clearly made a step forward. This is something positive and now we need to analyse and prepare to work over the winter, keep our focus and improve in the same direction. We got some podiums this season which was good for myself and for the team – but it was not enough, we are here to fight to win! We keep pushing and look forward to the next season.”
Jonathan Rea – SPRC: P11 / Race 2: P9
“A little bit more positive today than yesterday, but still below our expectations. From P16, I managed to put myself in a good position quite quickly in the Superpole Race, but I couldn’t hold off the attack from Domi and Bautista at the end. Unfortunately, again I was back in the grid to start the final race. I made quite a good start to be honest and forced some good passes in the first couple of laps. I found myself in P10, but didn’t have the “out and out” pace in the beginning and couldn’t take advantage of the new tyres – and we still really need to focus on improving the turning of the bike. When the initial tyre drop came for everybody, I managed to stay consistent – I was catching the group in front but we ran out of laps. It was a more solid race, P9 is not what the target was this weekend but if we look at the big picture it is a step forward. We used today as a little bit of a test and tried some big set-up changes on the bike to try to give us some direction for the beginning of the winter test. More back-to-back testing is needed though at the next Jerez test and we expect all our rivals to be there as a reference. It’s the end of a long and challenging season, we will regroup now as a team and work to come back stronger in 2025.”
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