SBK, Pitt: "Rea already brakes like Toprak, or better. Locatelli just has to believe in himself"

From one side of the Yamaha garage to the other. After winning two Supersport titles – in 2001 and 2008 – Andrew Pitt has become a trusted crew chief for the Japanese manufacturer, and now supports Yamaha’s latest star hire, Jonathan Rea. The pair were once team-mates, in the year the Australian scored his second title in fact, with Pitt now taking on this new challenge after having followed Andrea Locatelli from 2020 to 2023. “Jonathan’s arrival is an important acquisition for Yamaha”, starts Pitt. “We all know his level and his history. Personally, going from one side of the garage to the other is exciting – I’ve know Jonathan for a long time and I can count on a very strong work group”.

How did this new pairing come about?

“When Rea chose Yamaha it looked as if he might bring Pere (Riba, his crew chief at Kawasaki), but when that didn’t happen, I was asked to support him. I willingly accepted, but wanted to be sure that Locatelli would have the right person following him, which he does”.

How is Rea adapting to the R1?

“He’s spent many years riding the Kawasaki, so it takes time to adapt to a new bike. He already feels comfortable with the R1, though he still has room to improve. We need to marry what he wants with what we can offer him, it takes time”.

How different is his riding style compared to that of Locatelli and Razgatlioglu?

“One similarity is Jonathan’s ability to brake, which was perhaps not totally apparent with the Kawasaki. He brakes like Toprak, or better”.

What has struck you most about Jonathan?

“He’s a very calm guy who doesn’t let his emotions get the better of him, but what has impressed me most is his ability to complete a fast lap with any setup, which makes it hard to understand what works and what doesn’t (he smiles). His speed is innate. His goal is the title, 100%”.

Can Locatelli grow in the presence of Rea?

“Having a world champion in the garage can help him, definitely, and in different ways. There are no divisions in the garage, the team is united, so I think he can benefit from this. Andrea is quick, he just has to believe in himself, he needs to be convinced that he belongs in the front group every weekend, rather than accepting being fifth or sixth. The speed and talent are definitely there”.

Pitt on the R1 and BMW

Let’s talk about bikes. Are the R1 and the Ninja similar in character?

“There are actually a lot of differences. With the R1, he feels like he can do more on entering the turn, which is one of the bike’s strengths, and can turn the bike more quickly. His past experience can also help us to improve our bike, it’s always helpful to have a rider who’s ridden different bikes”.

When will Rea be able to exploit the full potential of the R1?

“There’s no time, seeing as round 1 is already this weekend. Johnny is adapting fast but he needs track time. He doesn’t want to ask too much of the bike and wants to work primarily on himself. He’ll definitely be competitive at Phillip Island, to then exploit the bike’s full potential further on”.

Can the R1 really rival the Ducati? Perhaps thanks to the new regulation.

“To be honest, we haven’t really benefitted from the new rules. The minimum bike-rider weight doesn’t affect us, and neither does the fuel, so the situation’s the same as before.”

Are you worried by the rise of BMW?

“It depends on the cause. Phil (Marron, Razgatlioglu’s crew chief who has moved to BMW with him) knows his rider well and knows how to make him comfortable, but the big difference at BMW is clearly Toprak. The test team is working of course, but the results will come later. The rider counts for a lot but can’t do it all alone. Toprak a title contender? I wouldn’t know, the BMW would need to be competitive even when conditions are less favourable, Phillip Island is a great test bench in this respect, especially in terms of tyre wear”.