Two days of testing for the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK team came to an end on Tuesday at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto with Andrea Locatelli working together with Jonathan Rea for the first time following the six-time World Champion’s shock switch to the Japanese manufacturer after nine seasons with Kawasaki. Speaking after the second day concluded, ‘Loka’ was on hand to give his thoughts on bike improvements heading into 2024, working with a different crew chief and how Andrew Pitt, his former crew chief, will benefit Rea.

TEST OVERVIEW: “We found a really good base setup”

Locatelli completed 155 laps during the two-day test and set the fastest time with a 1’38.447s, matching the best time set by Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) at the same circuit a few weeks back; the Australian posted a 1’38.448s. For ‘Loka’, the test was a chance to be back on the bike after not taking part in the first Jerez test, with the Italian happy with the work completed by him and the team in Spain.

Reviewing the test, Locatelli said: “I’m so happy about these two days of testing at Jerez because, in the past, it’s been a little bit difficult for me to do a really good job here. I think we found a really good base setup and I had a really good feeling on the bike. I was fast in all conditions and the whole day, so this was really important. We were happy about the lap time and the rhythm. I think it’s one of the best tests we’ve done, especially because we’re at Jerez and the feeling I had after the round wasn’t amazing, but we improved it a lot. We understood a lot during these two days.”

MAKING GAINS: “Tried to work on acceleration… we can bring something good to improve”

Of course, the goal of any test is to find improvements with Team Principal Paul Denning saying after Day 1 that the goal was to find gains when it comes to acceleration. This was reiterated by the #55 after the test concluded with the 2020 WorldSSP Champion believing Yamaha will be able to find improvements, while also explaining how the work done at this test will be evaluated before the team’s next scheduled outing, in January.

He added: “Comparing the bike, we changed different parts of the bike and I think we found a good solution. I think it’s only the first two days with some new parts so it’s difficult to say if it’s much better or not, so we have to test them a little bit more. We have more days in January before Phillip Island. The best things were to confirm the base setup, the good feeling on the bike and then we got a lot of data to consider and to work for on the Yamaha stuff, especially during December, to maybe prepare something new or better or maybe we change which way we go to improve the bike and to make another big step. We tried to work a little bit on acceleration because sometimes this is a strange point for us. Sometimes we have a lot of spin, but I think we can bring something good to improve in this area.”

A NEW CREW CHIEF: not his 2024 right-hand man…

The 14-time WorldSBK podium finisher has worked with Andrew Pitt ever since his graduation to WorldSBK with the team, but there’s been a reshuffle in the box following Phil Marron’s departure to BMW with Toprak Razgatlioglu. Two-time WorldSSP Champion Pitt has moved over to work with former teammate Rea, while Tom O’Kane will join the team as Locatelli’s Crew Chief shortly. For the test, the Italian worked with GRT Yamaha’s Damiano Evangelisti, usually Gardner’s crew chief, and he explained how this helped him at Jerez.

Talking about his relationship with Evangelisti and how it helped during the test, Locatelli said: “I worked with Damiano during these two days. I want to thank GRT because he was able to work with us. I had a good relationship with him immediately, probably because he’s also Italian. I already know him, so it was nice to work with him, because sometimes it’s nice to meet new people, to see other people working. It was interesting. It was a good opportunity to work with him and try to make a step and also, I think he helped us a lot to help make an improvement.”

WHAT CAN PITT BRING TO REA? “He can help Jonathan improve a little bit and immediately try to have a good feeling”

With Pitt moving to work with Rea for 2024, there’s no one better to ask than Locatelli what the Australian will be able to bring to the Ulsterman’s side of the box as he adjusts to the Yamaha YZF-R1 machine. It’s the first time since 2014 that he hasn’t ridden a Kawasaki machine, but he’s now faced with a new bike and a new team to get his head around as he goes in search of an unprecedented seventh World Championship.

Explaining what Pitt can bring to Rea, Locatelli said: “To see Andrew on the other side of the box is a bit strange! He worked with me for three years, but our relationship is good because we’re friends. I think, for Jonathan, it could be different; he’s also a friend of his. It’ll be interesting. Andrew can do a really good BBQ in Phillip Island to prepare for Jonathan’s weekend! Also, the language is the same as Jonathan’s but he can also have another possibility to work with a crew chief who was a rider. It’s probably something that can help Jonathan to improve a little bit and come to our box and immediately try to have a good feeling and I think Andrew is a really good person for this job.”

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