He first hopped on his new team’s mach🌃ine at a postseason test last month but, as he was joined by teammate Andrea Locatelli for the first time, the hard testing began.

His adaption to the Yamaha was the key goalไꦇ for Monday.

“The speed and reaction from the Y💝amaha guys between the first test and this one, just to bring some hardware that suits him better in terms of rider position and just small preferences, I think he’s been delighted that stuff has been designed, manufactured and delivered and bolted to the bike to his request,” team🉐 principal Paul Denning said. 

“There’s no doubting their ✅commitment to get the bike to suit ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚhim. 

“He’s not real🐻ly had to adapt his riding style, he looks very comfortable as he did at the firstꦐ test. 

“As always, it’s the last couple of tenths that are the challenge in t🔜erms of outright pace and consistency. 

“The more he geℱts to 🍎know the bike and the more he can exploit its advantages, the more that pace will come. 

“On the basis of what we’ve seen so far, it could’ve been a bit of a worry – I think he said as 🅘much 𝄹himself. 

“Whether, after nine years on the same bike, he could ride something new. However, I think those doubts were expelled after 15 laps on the firs💯t test day.”

Denning explained how acceleration was the target: “You can’t get through all the test-list componentry and♔ hardware if you’re continuing changing the setup of the bike, looking for outright performance.

“Both riders did two or three base ruꦬns, just to get to a position where the bike was relatively comfortable and then started the test programme. Given that fact, the consistency and level of performance was really encouraging.”

“We’re looking for more accelඣeration and obviously, if you accelerate better then you have better top speed; we tested a lot of mechanical parts across engine and chassis to aid our overall performance. 

“If I say ‘a rear swingarm’ or ‘fork clamp’ then it’s a piece of hardware that, honestly as the team manager, you get to a 𝔍certain level where you’re not going to be looking at the bike going ‘wow, that’s brand⛦ new’. 

“The changes are very nuanced and carefully t𒉰hought out; the R1 is a b൲ike that is not a new machine, so the changes we’re making are very much based on everything the engineers and the team already know. 

“We’re just 𒆙🍨looking to eke out that last little bit of performance. The level of the bike is already very competitive and very good; in order to become World Champion, there’s still a big gap between Alvaro Bautista and the rest of the field in the points at the end of the year. 

“We’ve got work to do and that’s why we’r♓𝓀e here doing 750km today. It’s great to do that amount, especially for Jonathan, as nothing beats the experience of the bike becoming yours after so many laps.”

Rea is hoping that joining Yama𒊎ha from Kawasaki will deliver him a seventh WorldSBK championship.

“All manufacturers and teams are looking to improve their packages for next🍨 season and try to become World Champion; we’re in that group and therefore, development never stops and the quest for increased performance never stops,” Denning said. 

“We tested elements that will help with outright speed and hardware components, searching for more stability, grip and corner entry spee൩d.

“Some big stuff, some small stuff and we split the work load between the riders and had a💖 super solওid day. 

“Jonny did 88 laps across three bikes and then 82 laps for ‘Loka’ across two d🦂ifferent bikes.&nbs🎶p;

“That’s 750km-odd across both of them so that’s a lot of data for the🤪 guys to look at. In terms of mileage, consistency and without problems or crashes, it was a very productive day indeed.”

Rea and Locatelli will test again on Tuesday.

Denning explained the plan for the second day in Je𒀰rez: “Based on the feedback and the data, the plan this evening will be to try and put the best combinations tꩵogether for both of the riders tomorrow. 

“Start with the best combination of today and work through the testing programme for tomorrow. We’ve got some front fork stuff f𒁃rom Ohlins, a swingarm and other bits a🎀s well. 

“There’s a lot that hasn’t yet been tested. It’s also quite positive that we’re testing separately in terms of the other teams because we don’t know based on track conditions but we’re only half a se🧸cond off Cal on the Grand Prix bike a💝nd the lap time is very good. 

“The boys aren’t going s⛦lowly but if for example, Ducati were here and going a little bit quicker than us at this ♔stage, it doesn’t matter. 

“It’s more important that the riders and the crews stay focused on the test stuff and that we develop the very best bike we can for 2𒀰024, are fast when we leave the final test in January and ready to compete at Phillip Island🧜.”