After finding himself not just out-powered by the combination of Alvaro Bautista and his all-new Ducati V4, WorldSBK champ Jonathan Rea and his team took their ZX-10RR in a different and more agile direction at Assen

“I am trying to take the bike into a different area,” explained Rea, who was competitive all through the first two days, except for when caught out by weather conditions or red flags.

“In the winter tests we had stability as an area we could really improve, on the brakes, so we created a bike that had a lot of stability straight up and down.

But getting into the corner it was not turning so well, mid-corner it wasn’t really turning very well. That created a big problem for my riding style. It was a very stop-and-go bike, more than we have ever had in the past.

"This is just the momentum of the trend of my riding style over the last years. Now I am trying to go back a little bit in what I used to do, because I think there is more potential in that.”

The reason why is clear when you see how the best of the Ducatis pulls down each straight, and then compare it to Rea’s bike – even thought the Kawasaki has 500 or so more rpm to play with at the top end this year after several engine tweaks. It is technically, a new homologation.

We do not have the power now to make that a stop-and-go bike. So we are trying to make a bike that is agile, and I can use corner speed and get some confidence from that.”

The main question, doubly important now that there was no race o Saturday, so no sprint race to compete in on Sunday now, is can the changes allow Rea to be more in contention than he has been of late.

“We have to see, but there is a lot more corners, kinks, and even on the straight you do not hang on to sixth gear for so long,” said Rea. “It is not out-and-out power that you need to win a race here.

"Of course it helps, because there are many acceleration areas, especially at Strubben, the first gear corner, down to the Ruskenhoek area, and then up to Ramshoek, the fast left.

"So of course I think there will be a lot more riders in the mix than just thinking about Alvaro. And we just need to make sure we are one of them and that we have a strong package for the end.

The group can be very big here in Assen but it is always the race that you can win in the last five or six laps because you have a better package. That is where tyre choice is critical.”

The expected cold morning conditions at Assen on Saturday duly arrived, before the rain, and they were both already being discussed by riders and organisers on Friday. Even before that meeting Rea had explained that ideally the track temperature should be over 15°C.

"“In winter testing we do not like going out on track in less than 15°C,” said Rea. “It is quite impressive that the SC0 tyre has got some good life in this temperature, which is unheard of.

"Never in the past would we consider to use an SC0 tyre with less than 23-25°C on the track and now it is a consideration for a race. The SC1 tyre is also competitive in this temperature.”

Rea was unhappy to have missed out on a chance to race on Saturday, even with everybody’s concerns about cold track temperatures, but he will have two 21-lap races to try to take his first WorldSBK race wins of the season.

The main problem he faces is that after a red flag spoiled his chance for a fast lap in Superpole, he will start both Sunday races from the third row, in eighth place. Bautista is on pole for the third time this year.