Portimao WorldSBK Test: ‘You should improve and we did not’ - Michael Ruben Rinaldi at a loss over lack of qualifying pace

What was the case🥂 during last⛄ week’s WorldSBK test in Jerez, but also several rounds last season, finding improvements in time attack situations continues to be a problem for the Italian.
With race tyres Rinaldi was in supreme form as he concluded the first of two days testing in Portimao quickest from 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Jonathan Rea and team-mate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Alvaro Bautista.
- Baꦏutista: ‘Suddenly I felt, boom!’ - unleashed after fee🦩ling ‘something strange’
- Ray ‘didn’t feel a million miles away꧂’ after making WorldSBK debut in Portimao
That included setting a time just shy of the all-time Superbike lap ꦑrecord, however, any improvement in qualifying trim would have 🤪seen him achieve that feat.
Speaking after d𝓰ay-one, Rinaldi was both pleased and concerned: "It has been a good day for u𝄹s. In the morning I jumped on the bike and felt really good, really comfortable. I was quick. But I didn't look at that. I just tried to get a good feeling with the bike and during the day we just tried some tyres.
"We followed the 🍸plan but at the end it was strange because I put the qualifying tyre on and I didn’t improve my lap time. My best lap time was with the 800 which is the race tyre.
"In the last ten minutes we put the 8💖00 𝔍and I improved the lap time. That means that we are really strong with the race package but for the time attack we are not good.
"You should improve a lot with the qualifying tyre and we did not. For tomorrow we have a plan but I will try to improve this weak point which is the qualifying. But I’m quite happy w꧂ith today and it’s always positive to start with the right foot."
With a bike underneath him that is clearly working, Rinaldi does not want to make big changes o⛎n day-two although trying a new clutch could be one of the parts he tests in order to get an understanding on its reliability.
Rinaldi added: "I have to go and talk with my engineers because they are analysing the data [from day-one]. Later we will try to understand what is the best to do. There is nothing big. I want to ride the bജike because I feel strong, fast and I don’t want to touch too much.
"If I have a clutch to try, for example, then I wil𝔍l try it but except the Pirelli tyres it’s nothing for the lap time. It’s more for the durability of the parts. The new bike is🐟 working well and I feel good. I don’t want to change too much."

Faster than his team-mate, something that rarely happened in 2022, Rinaldi once again showed that he can challenge the likes of Bautista, Rea and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Toprak Razgatlioglu, after also being very close🗹 to the ‘big three’ in Jerez.
But with that said, Rinaldi is not obsessing over lap times aꦉnd was instead keen to stress that this i🍸s only testing.
"I’m not racing against my tea♔mmate," said the Italian rider. "He is the fastest, last year he won the championship and we know the potential of Alvar🦄o. I don’t look at it like I’m stronger because it’s just a test and everybody works differently.
"We know he will be the favourite 🍒for the first race, especially in Phillip Island, because he is so quick there. 🧜;
"I don’t want to talk too much; I just want to stay humble and work hard. Iꦅ’m working on a step up. I want to try and fight for the🐟 title, it’s the main goal for this year.
"Position one is what I want. It’s something that I must be always if I want to try and achieve my goa🦹l. Really happy, for sure, but we need to keep this line and this motivation."