Ray made an impressive switch from BSB, where he was champion in 2022, to the Motoxracing Yamaha team for the 2023 WorldSBK season🌊.

A points scorer on many occasions, Ray showed flashes of being able to run with the top riders, however, learning the WorldSBK-spec machine, Pirelli tyres and new cir🧸cuits limited him to a degree.

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But with the first test of 2024 coming up next week at Jer𒈔ez, Ray, who has already taken the covers off his R1, feels a big jump forward is coming.

Speaking to 🗹at the team presentation, Ray added: “We have to start again from the results we achieved 🗹last year and I have pretty high expectations of myself for this season,”

“I think we will be able to do a really great job. We will be competing in one more race but there are also two new trac🐼ks for everyone [Cremona, Balaton Park]. 

“The level of the championship is higher than ever, so it will be difficult and we will have to work hard, but I think it is possible to get on the podium.&n🐓bsp;

“If everything goes well, with😼 this team and my talent, there’s no reaso🌠n why we can’t fight up there.”

Reflecting on last season, Ray did have his tough moments and believes tha🤡t was largely because of the level of competition that’s in WorldSBK at the moment.

“It ﷽was a good season, difficult at times,” added Ray. “But I think there are always difficult times in WorldSBK, especially with the level it has now reached. 

“There is a big difference between [the bikes in] BSB and WorldSBK, in terms of the electro🌼nics, so I had to learn to ride a different way and adapt my riding style. 

“I had to ✨learn so many things, such as the tracks, the bike with its electr𓆉onics and also how to work with an Italian team. 

“There wer🐻e difficult times bu𒐪t overall we made progress and achieved good results.”

‘Will be nice to have Rea with us’

From one Ray to another, six-time world champion Jonathan Rea has joined Yamaha for the 2024 season, Bradley is convinced new ideas will be brought to, not only the factory team, but the 🐼whole Yamaha pro🍸gram.

Ray said: “It will be a great thing because Jonathan has a lot of experience with Honda and K𒀰awasaki. 

“I think he w♓ill bring new ideas to Yamaha and since 𒅌the tests it seems like they have already started working well together. It will be nice to have Jonathan with us.”