Changing Tides
THE TAKE AWAY from Donington Park in its first WorldSBK race weekend since 2019 is that even though the ‘wrong’ British weather turned up at the wrong time more than once it was in dry conditions that the championship lead changed hands – from rider to rider and from manufacturer to manufacturer.
It was clear that Toprak Razgatlioglu and his Pata Yamaha by Brixx YZF-R1 was going to be trouble for Jonathan Rea and his KRT Kawasaki Ninja this year, but nobody seriously expected to see a change of championship lead after three races at Donington Park. But with a newly signed two-year WorldSBK contract in pocket, the Turk repaid Yamaha for its confidence in him.
Once again Rea looked like he could be beaten this weekend, as he did at Misano last time, but in the end he more or less beat himself with his crash in Race Two.
In fairness to the GOAT, he was
