O’Kane will be Locatelli’s crew chief for the 2024 WorldSBK season but♒ is still on MotoGP duty until after this weekend in Valencia. 

Locatelli, who is a 14-time podiumཧ finisher in WorldSBK, has been given a new crew chief after the Pata Yamaha outfit moved Andrew Pitt to Jonathan Rea’s side of the garage. 

• Jonathan Rea: “Bi🐟ggest area of improvementꦯ needed is still me” 
• Locatelli ‘understood a lot’🌳 with Jerez 𝔍test, expects another ‘big step’

But with O’Kane still unable to join him, Locatelli worked with Damiano Evangelisti at Jerez for the most recent two-day test, who is usually Gardner’s crew c꧋hief at GRT Yamaha.

“I worked with Damiano during these two days. I want to thank GRT because he was able to work with us,” Loca🦄telli told WorldSBK.com. 

“I had a good relationship with him immediately, probably because he’s also Italian. I already know him, so it was nice to work with him, because sometimes ⛄it’s nice to meet new people, to see other people working. ൩;

“It was interesting. It was a good opportunity to work with him and try to make a step and a𓃲lso, I think he helped us a lot to help make an✃ improvement.”

Rea on the other hand has beenꩵ able to work with his new crew chief Pitt, and Locatelli believes the six-time champion can benefit hugely. 

Locatelli 🗹stated: “To see Andrew on the other side of the box is a bit strange! He worked with me for three years, but our rela⭕tionship is good because we’re friends. 

“I think🐟, for Jonathan, it could be different; he’s also a friend of his. It’ll be interesting. Andrew can do a really good BBQ in Phillip Island to prepare for Jonathan’s weekend! 

“Also, the language is the same as Jonathan’sꦆ but he can also have another possibility to work with a crew chief who was a rider. 

“It’s probably something t🥀hat can help Jonathan to improve a little bit and come to our box and immediately try to have a good feeling🦩 and I think Andrew is a really good person for this job.”