Jonathan Rea: ”I still feel like the bike is quite aggressive”

Jonathan Rea finished inside the top five for just the second time this season in Race 1 of the British WorldSBK round.

Also the top Yamaha, Rea was able to battle through from eighth on the grid.

“My pace was better than I expected and you know we had a bad Free Practice 1 as we had a technical issue," said Rea following Race 1. 

"But in Free Practice 2 my pace was okay and you always think that you need to improve but you forget the race pace is going to be about there and that everybody can only go so fast.

“To be honest, we didn’t change the bike drastically, we worked on some points this weekend, especially with the electronics to fine-tune it. 

"Top five and a bonus was top Yamaha which is not something which we really think about as ‘Loka’ was right there but it is nice.”

The six-time Superbike champion achieved his joint best finish of the year despite his R1 not being completely to his liking.

Rea still finds the bike "quite aggressive" as a result of the electronics and traction control.

Rea added: “It is hard to describe but still I feel like the bike is quite aggressive, as from an electronic point of view I need to be in harmony with what is going on and it seems like sometimes I am fighting against the traction control, wheelie control or engine braking. 

"That is probably the biggest area for improvement and it is all confidence as you know when you can trust that the electronics are working in synchrony with you it is almost telepathic that is when you can start to make some magic.”