Fo♏rmer BSB rider Jason O’Halloran will head to the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve this weekend for his first race in WorldSBK since 2018, and his first on a Yamaha, as he replaces Jonathan Rea.

The 28-time BSB race winner was a late call-up to the Pata Yamaha team, who lost Rea to injury at the Australian Round, after an injury for Miguel Oliveira required 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Augusto Fernandez – who tested the factory R1 at the recent Portimao test – to replace the Portuguese rider at the Grand Prix of the Americas, which takes place on the same weekend as the Portuguese 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:World Superbike round.

The Australian, who has not yet ridden the WorldSBK-spec ♌R1 since joining Yamaha as its official WorldSBK test rider 🅷and as a full-time YART rider in the Endurance World Championship, says he will be “playing catch up” this weekend, having missed the aforementioned Portimao test and having not ridden at the Algarve venue since 2019.

“I’m really looking forward to the weekend – the last time I rode at Portimao was at a BSB test in 2019, but I really enjoyed the track and went quite well there,” O’Halloran sa𒉰id.

“For sure this weekend will be a learning experience: first time on the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK ౠand first time back at the track for a long time.

“Obviously most of the guys from the championship had a test there recꦓently and we’ll be playing catch up, but the most important thing for us this weekend is just t❀o enjoy it, for me to understand the bike and gain as much knowledge and experience as possible to help with Yamaha’s testing programme going forwards.

“I’m looking forward to getting started, it’s the beginning of a busy few weeks f𒁃or me b🌱ut it’s a pleasure to be joining Pata Maxus Yamaha in Portimao.”

O’Halloran’s teammate fജor this weekend is Pata Yamaha regular Andrea Locatelli, of course, the Italian c෴oming to Portimao having been the best Yamaha rider at the season opening Australian Round in February.

“It was great to have the opportunity for two days of testing at Portimão recently for us to pre𒀰pare for this race and the rest of the season,” said Locatelli ahead of this weekend’s Portuguese Round.

“Unfortunately, the conditions were not the best, we found a lot of water there on the morning of the first day and also in the middle of the second day. We were able to do a couple of sessions, 🧜though, and find a good feeling wꦕith my R1, but we know we need to continue to work hard and push hard.

“Finally, I am happy because we are returning for another race weekend after a ♍long break since the fi🍎rst round in Australia.

“It’s important to achieve the maximum result that we can, for su🌞re we know it will not be easy but I will do my best from Friday to work with my crew on the set-up for t🧔he race weekend.”