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Rea aims for more wins in Kyalami
Jonathan Rea from the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team held onto third overall in the Superbike World Championship standings despite a double DNF at last weekend's Monza round, and he now heads to Kyalami determined to challenge for wins once again.
Rea took a fabulous double at Assen in late April and knows his CBR1000RR machine is capable of more success at Kyalami. He took his first ever WSBK podium in South Africa last year in his rookie season, and has found further improvements in his overall machine set-up since that time. Championship leader Leon Haslam (Suzuki) is now three points ahead of double Monza race winner Max Biaggi (Aprilia), with Haslam 71 points up on Rea, who ties on 110 points with Carlos Checa (Ducati).
Monza race two provided a late confidence boost for Hannspree Ten Kate Superbike rider Max Neukirchner but the Kyalami circuit will be a new exam for him to pass this weekend. Max tested at the Kyalami circuit with another manufacturer a year before he joined Honda for the 2010 season, but he has yet to encounter the track close to Johannesburg in a full race situation, or on his CBR1000RR.
For ECHO CRS Honda's Broc Parkes Kyalami will be another chance to find an ideal set-up on his Superbike, having encountered chatter that slowed his progress at last weekend's race. Parkes missed the first three races of the year through an injury picked up in training, but he is all out to continue scoring points for his privateer team from this weekend on.
Squadra Corse Italia Garvie Image Honda entrant Vittorio Iannuzzo will not race at Kyalami as his team has opted not to run at this flyway race.
The Kyalami circuit is the same length as it was in 2009, but a new pitlane exit has made more run off available, and there is a new spectator area outside turns two and three.
WSBK Rider Comments
Jonathan Rea, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR:
"I am really looking forward to racing in South Africa as last year I had my first podium there. Our bike is working really well and I can say I'm excited to be riding it again. I guess I was top of the world one minute after two wins at Assen then had two non-finishes last weekend. But we are still third in the championship, which is some consolation. I hurt my wrist and ankle a little bit in my Monza race two crash but I will be 100% for Kyalami. It is nice to go there knowing that the bike is working well and that we had the pace to be right there at Monza. The real motivating factor for me is that the bike is working so well. I love riding this bike and now I am just concentrating on the track in South Africa."
Max Neukirchner, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR:
"Kyalami is very different from Monza. I only tested there at the beginning of 2009 and I have never raced there, so we will see how it is. The bike definitely felt better in race two in Italy so we will try to build on that when we start work in South Africa on Friday. I like the track very much and Jonathan showed last year that the Honda can work quite well there. I'll try as hard as possible with my team again this weekend to continue getting my riding style to match the changes we have made to the bike."
Broc Parkes, ECHO CRS Honda CBR1000RR:
"Monza was hard because we did not get the chance to develop our set-up the way we wanted. Hopefully in Kyalami we will make another step again but we will make most steps when we can go somewhere to test and see exactly what is and isn't working. But I'm sure we can go to Kyalami and be better again anyway."