Jonathan Rea hoping familiar surroundings can help turn around World Superbike fortunes
The Pata Maxus Yamaha rider failed to score any points as he raced for the first time in 2025 after fracturing bones in his left foot following a crash during pre-season testing.
Rea is feeling more optimistic for the fifth round of the series, when he will be looking to score his first points of the year this weekend.
'It's going to be nice to be back on my R1 so quickly after a difficult return weekend in Cremona – even coming back from injury, the results were well below my expectations but I had to start somewhere,' said the six-time world champion.
'Most is a more familiar track, despite still being relatively new on the World Superbike calendar, where I've had some good races, podiums and a win.
'The circuit layout should be more favourable for me as a clockwise circuit, reducing the demand on my left foot. Since Cremona, even with some pain still getting into a motocross boot, I've been riding a lot of MX to work on building up my bike strength,' added the 38-year-old.
'We're ready to go again – it's a step-by-step process to get back to the pace we showed in pre-season but I am looking forward to it and we know more what to expect this weekend in the Czech Republic.'
Free practice takes place on Friday with the first race on Saturday at 1pm BST.
Meanwhile, Donington Park hosts round two of the British Superbike Championship less than two weeks on from the tragic racing incident that claimed the lives of England's Owen Jenner and Shane Richardson from New Zealand on the opening lap of the feature Supersport race.
BSB title hopeful Glenn Irwin said: 'Looking ahead to the weekend you almost feel a little bit guilty, because obviously we all want to continue to pay our respects to Owen and Shane's families, and when we look back at Oulton Park, the whole event is overshadowed by this sadness.
'This weekend and the whole championship in general is going to be close. The three of us who were in it at Oulton will be there, I expect Kyle (Ryde) to be there and Danny Kent to also join the party this weekend… it's going to be a good one.'
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Belfast Telegraph
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- Belfast Telegraph
Michael Dunlop tops final qualifying session with 132mph Superbike lap as focus turns to races
Dunlop will have two chances to achieve the milestone, with the first Supersport race also scheduled to take place on Monday afternoon after the organisers confirmed a three-race programme, with the opening Sidecar event sandwiched between the Superbike and Supersport races. The Superbike race (10:45am) has been cut from six laps to four, with the Sidecar race over three laps pencilled in for 1:15pm, followed by the first Supersport race at 3pm (3 laps). All three races were originally scheduled to run over the weekend, but adverse weather on the Isle of Man resulted in a series of delays and cancellations last week, with the organisers running more qualifying sessions on Saturday and Sunday to make up for lost time. Dunlop set a record of 29 TT wins during a memorable week in 2024, surpassing his uncle Joey's 24-year-old lap record of 26 victories. The Ballymoney man has been gradually getting up to speed on his new ROKiT BMW Superbike at the TT and recorded the fastest lap of Sunday's qualifying session – and his fastest overall so far this year – at 132.03mph. Dunlop was leading the Superbike race last year by around 25 seconds until his lead was blown when he stopped to adjust an incorrectly fastened visor after his final pit stop. He will be out to make amends, but Davey Todd (8TEN Racing BMW) and Dean Harrison (Honda Racing UK) provide formidable opposition. Harrison set the fastest lap of TT qualifying overall at 133mph on his Superbike machine last Wednesday, while Todd also managed a 133mph lap, albeit on his Superstock machine. Todd will be carrying the hopes of 8TEN Racing on his shoulders today after team-mate Peter Hickman was ruled out of the TT following his crash in qualifying on Friday. Hickman came off at Kerrowmoar and sustained chest, back, shoulder and facial injuries. The 14-time TT winner was yesterday discharged from hospital and posted an update on social media claiming he planned to return to the event in 2026. 'Well this isn't quite how I'd planned my TT to go!' Hickman said. 'Had a bit of a get off on Friday night… Nothing quite like a 140mph slap against the Manx countryside. Battered and bruised, but we'll be back.' He added: 'A massive thanks to the amazing IOM TT marshals, the TT medical team, and staff at Noble's Hospital.' Dunlop will be going for a seventh successive Supersport victory this afternoon as he bids to win on a Ducati for the first time. He has made the switch from Yamaha machinery and won on the Italian Panigale V2 bike at the North West 200 last month. In qualifying, he was second fastest with a 127.739mph lap on Friday behind British Supersport contender Harrison, whose 128.093mph lap was a qualifying record. Todd is another leading contender on the Milenco by Padgett's Honda, while top-six challengers include the likes of Josh Brookes, James Hillier, James Hind, Paul Jordan and Ian Hutchinson. On Sunday, the Sidecar session was stopped after a red flag crash involving leading competitors Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley at Rhencullen. Both competitors were airlifted to hospital and a statement from the organisers said: 'Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley, sidecar outfit number 2, came off at Rhencullen during lap two of the fifth qualifying session of TT 2025. 'Peter is reported as conscious and talking, with arm injuries. Passenger, Jevan, is reported as conscious and talking, with no reported injuries. 'Both Peter and Jevan have been taken to Noble's Hospital by Airmed for further assessment. 'Further condition updates will be provided in due course.' Manx crew Ryan and Callum Crowe are the Sidecar favourites after winning both races in 2024 and recording the fastest lap in qualifying at 119.37mph. The weather is forecast to be dry and bright today, however a yellow warning for gales on the island comes into place tonight from 9pm, with heavy rain also expected overnight.
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Davey Todd sets fastest lap of qualifying so far at over 133mph before weather wipes out Saturday schedule
The team, co-owned by Todd and Peter Hickman, was left reeling after Hickman crashed during qualifying on Friday evening, suffering injuries that have ruled him out of the event. Todd lapped at 133.155mph on his BMW Superstock machine from a standing start, which was marginally faster than Honda Racing rider Dean Harrison's 133.069mph lap set in Wednesday's first qualifying session on his second flying lap on the CB1000RR Superbike. Todd will be shouldering 8TEN Racing's TT hopes on his own after Hickman's misfortune and has been in eye-catching form during a disrupted practice week, with the weather causing all kinds of problems for the organisers. The first Supersport and Sidecar races were originally due to have been held on Saturday, but a qualifying session was pencilled in instead, with Saturday's races moved to Monday – initially set to be a rest day for competitors on the island. The weather again stopped play on Saturday after riders had completed two laps, with visibility problems on the Mountain section of the 37.73-mile course and rain showers leading Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson to cancel the schedule. Todd claimed the top spot overall after his Superstock lap from Harrison, who did 132.484mph from a standing start, and Michael Dunlop, who banked his first 130mph lap of qualifying on his new ROKiT BMW Superbike (130.762mph). Dunlop also did a lap on his MD Racing BMW Superstock machine at 130.262mph despite yellow flag conditions from the Bungalow onwards because of fading visibility. Paul Jordan (Jackson Racing Honda by Prosper 2) set his fastest TT lap of 2025 so far at 128.694mph, which left him fourth fastest behind Dominic Herbertson (128.737mph) on the HRRC/Adam Hewitt Ltd Honda. Manx riders Nathan Harrison (28.501mph) and Conor Cummins (128.389mph) were fifth and sixth respectively. Cummins is riding for Ulster team Burrows Engineering/RK Racing on BMW and Ducati machinery and his 131mph lap during Friday's qualifying session was the fastest at the TT by any rider for the Dungannon-based team. Following Satudrday's s cancellation, the Superbike race – due to have taken place on Sunday – has been replaced with more qualifying sessions instead. A new race schedule for Monday is set to be announced by the organisers as they try to mitigate the impact of a week of unsettled weather on the Isle of Man.
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
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Leading motorbike rider 'in good spirits' after Isle of Man TT crash
The 14-time TT winner was involved in an incident at Kerrowmoar shortly after the combined Superbike, Superstock and Supersport qualifying run began at 6.30pm. Hickman was riding his 8TEN Racing BMW Superstock machine when he crashed, with a red flag situation declared at 6.40pm. Around half an hour afterwards, the organisers confirmed that no further action would take place following reports of rain coming in from the west of the island. An official update was provided on the red flag incident, with 38-year-old Hickman described as 'currently conscious and stable'. Race organisers provided a further updates on Saturday morning. A statement read: 'Peter Hickman, bike number 10, came off at Kerrowmoar on the opening lap of the third qualifying session of TT 2025. He was reported as conscious and stable, and taken via AirMed to Noble's Hospital where he is currently being treated for chest, back, shoulder, and facial injuries. He is described as being 'comfortable' and 'in good spirits'.' Earlier in the day, Hickman said that he wasn't happy with his Superstock machine. 'Interestingly enough, normally I'm pretty happy with the Superstock bike and the Superbike is the one that's hard work, but it seems to be the other way around this time,' he told Manx Radio TT. 'The Superbike is working mint and the 'Stocker I'm not feeling happy with just yet, but we've a bit of time yet.' No laps were completed in the evening qualifying session, which was a contingency slot to give competitors more time on the course after inclement weather disrupted practice week. In a revised schedule on Saturday, additional qualifying sessions are set to go ahead in place of the first Supersport and Sidecar races of TT 2025, which have been moved to Monday — originally a rest day on the event schedule. The Superbike TT over six laps is still scheduled to run on Sunday at 1.30pm, but with more wet weather forecast on Saturday and showers expected on Sunday, the organisers could announce further changes. Bolton-born Dean Harrison, fastest in Wednesday's qualifying session with a 133mph lap on his Honda Racing Superbike, recorded the fastest lap again in Friday afternoon's session, this time on his Superstock machine. The 36-year-old lapped at 132.853mph to lead the Superstock times by 4.3 secs from Hickman, who went round at 132.29mph. Hickman's 8TEN Racing BMW team-mate Davey Todd was third fastest at 132.195mph ahead of Michael Dunlop (MD Racing BMW), who recorded a lap of 130.225mph from a standing start. 'We've got a good idea on which direction we're going now, so it's good,' said Harrison. 'There's so much going on and practice is a bit up and down, but everyone's in the same boat. 'I'm feeling good with the bikes, I feel that I can go quite a bit quicker in a lot of places, so it's good, I can't complain.' Todd was fastest in the Superbike session at 132.673mph after a single lap on his BMW, with Hickman (131.326mph) and Manx rider Conor Cummins (131.027mph) making up the top three. Dunlop has work to do with his new BMW Superbike after he ended the session in fifth, lapping at 129.965mph. The Ballymoney man was fastest in the Supertwin class on his Paton at 122.159mph, while Harrison set a new Supersport qualifying record at 128.093mph to edge out Dunlop (MD Racing Ducati), who did 127.739mph from a standing start. Peter Hickman wasn't the only rider to receive medical attention. Kent's Tom Weeden was also air-lifted to hospital. In a statement, race organisers said: 'Earlier on Friday in the second qualifying session of TT 2025, Tom Weeden, bike number 33, came off at Glen Helen. He was taken to Noble's Hospital via AirMed where he is currently being treated for back, leg and ankle injuries.'
