Final Push for Pata Prometeon Yamaha with WorldSBK Double-Header in Estoril and Jerez
Pata Prometeon Yamaha and its riders Andrea Locatelli and Jonathan Rea are preparing for the final rounds of the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship, a blockbuster double-header in Estoril and Jerez starting this weekend in Portugal, from 11-13 October.
Following a challenging Aragon round late last month, all eyes are on the final two rounds of the season: six races in quick succession before 2024 draws to a close.
Locatelli relishes the opportunity, hoping to build positive momentum at two “friendly” circuits for the R1 – the scene of Yamaha’s first ever podium lockout in 2020 – and to push towards a return to the top five and podium battle. Teammate Rea is no stranger to epic fights in Estoril, with a notable “double” achieved on Sunday during the last edition held in 2022, as he aims for a strong start on Friday to help build confidence on his own R1 race machine.
Team Principal Paul Denning talks about the key aims for the final part of the season – and beyond into 2025:
“Our focus is of course on taking Pata Prometeon Yamaha back to the top,” Denning explains. “We have two more rounds this season and we are looking to build positive results and extract the maximum potential from the bike and riders at the end of 2024, before a significant commitment to the 2025 development programme across the winter. The WorldSBK class is closer than it has ever been by some margin – last month the practice sessions had 15 riders lapping within a second on Aragon’s long and technical circuit. We expect closer racing in Estoril and Jerez, tracks which are much more suited to our Yamaha R1 WorldSBK – and where we will work even harder to deliver set-ups for both Loka and Jonathan to fight for strong results.”
After two more top five finishes in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship last time out in Cremona, Beatriz Neila with the #36 Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha R7 has been working hard to come back fighting in the final two rounds. Neila is determined to step onto the podium once again before the first-ever WorldWCR season concludes and has four chances ahead of her with two races in both Estoril and Jerez.
The penultimate round begins with Free Practice for WorldWCR at 9:40 WEST – local time on Friday, WorldSBK FP1 at 10:20, WorldWCR Superpole at 14:10 and WorldSBK FP2 at 15:00.
Andrea Locatelli:
“I am really happy because we have these back-to-back races immediately! This is another opportunity for us to focus on our work and try to improve the set-up and performance, and also to spend more time with the team together. The last rounds were a bit difficult, we try to always show our potential but the results were not what we expected. We want to always be in the top five but it was really difficult to stay there in Cremona and Aragon. I want to be back and fighting closer to the podium, because I think we have the potential to be there. It will be a good opportunity for us in Estoril and Jerez – in the past the R1 was working well there, so I am looking forward to the last races. We will try to get the maximum and enjoy it until the end of the season. Estoril is a great track, I have amazing memories because it was the first day I tested the R1 WorldSBK after winning the 2020 WorldSSP title.”
Jonathan Rea:
“Estoril is a track that I really enjoy – it was a “late” addition to the WorldSBK calendar in my career, so I haven’t done too much mileage there but I have some great memories – none more-so than in 2020, when I won my sixth World Championship title. Of course, Estoril has been absent for a couple of years from the calendar so Friday will be an important day to get up to speed, understand the circuit again and try to continue getting the best out of our Yamaha R1 WorldSBK. It’s got a little bit of everything: fast, flowing sections and tight, twisty sections – and a long straight to negotiate. There is plenty to consider when putting our package together! The target for us this weekend is to be more competitive – Aragon was a disappointment and these next races come in quick succession, so we will try to start in the best way possible in Estoril.”
