WorldSBK testing 2018 kicks off at Jerez tomorrow with reigning champion Jonathan Rea taking a step-by-step approach to the three days in Spain.

The Kawasaki man, whose speed was supposed to be curtailed by a raft of new regulations this season, set the Spanish track alight at the end of last year, outpacing the assembled MotoGP riders and setting a new Superbike outright lap record.

“After our last winter test of 2017 I remained very busy for a couple of weeks doing PR exercises around the world. It was a welcome break to go back to Australia, where we have just built a new home. It’s become part of my routine now to follow the sun during the off-season to make sure I arrive at the start of the season well rested and well prepared," said Rea.

"It’s been amazing and I feel more excited and motivated to ride my bike than ever before. Jerez is a good testing circuit for us as we can confirm the items we tested here in November and continue to work on our 2018 spec ZX-10RR. We can focus a little more on fine tuning the bike and getting my brain up to speed again. With all this in mind, we will approach this test with a step-by-step philosophy.”