Jonathan Rea replacement lays out goal for Portuguese WorldSBK

Former BSB rider Jason O’Halloran will head to the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve this weekend for his first race in WorldSBK since 2018, and his first on a Yamaha, as he replaces Jonathan Rea.

The 28-time BSB race winner was a late call-up to the Pata Yamaha team, who lost Rea to injury at the Australian Round, after an injury for Miguel Oliveira required Augusto Fernandez – who tested the factory R1 at the recent Portimao test – to replace the Portuguese rider at the Grand Prix of the Americas, which takes place on the same weekend as the Portuguese World Superbike round.

The Australian, who has not yet ridden the WorldSBK-spec R1 since joining Yamaha as its official WorldSBK test rider and as a full-time YART rider in the Endurance World Championship, says he will be “playing catch up” this weekend, having missed the aforementioned Portimao test and having not ridden at the Algarve venue since 2019.

“I’m really looking forward to the weekend – the last time I rode at Portimao was at a BSB test in 2019, but I really enjoyed the track and went quite well there,” O’Halloran said.

“For sure this weekend will be a learning experience: first time on the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK and first time back at the track for a long time.

“Obviously most of the guys from the championship had a test there recently and we’ll be playing catch up, but the most important thing for us this weekend is just to enjoy it, for me to understand the bike and gain as much knowledge and experience as possible to help with Yamaha’s testing programme going forwards.

“I’m looking forward to getting started, it’s the beginning of a busy few weeks for me but it’s a pleasure to be joining Pata Maxus Yamaha in Portimao.”

O’Halloran’s teammate for this weekend is Pata Yamaha regular Andrea Locatelli, of course, the Italian coming to Portimao having been the best Yamaha rider at the season opening Australian Round in February.

“It was great to have the opportunity for two days of testing at Portimão recently for us to prepare for this race and the rest of the season,” said Locatelli ahead of this weekend’s Portuguese Round.

“Unfortunately, the conditions were not the best, we found a lot of water there on the morning of the first day and also in the middle of the second day. We were able to do a couple of sessions, though, and find a good feeling with my R1, but we know we need to continue to work hard and push hard.

“Finally, I am happy because we are returning for another race weekend after a long break since the first round in Australia.

“It’s important to achieve the maximum result that we can, for sure we know it will not be easy but I will do my best from Friday to work with my crew on the set-up for the race weekend.”