Jeremy McWilliams: Rea and Irwin brothers can build on their weekend successes
- Published
Rea made it five wins for the season by taking a treble in Portugal
Former MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams believes five-time world champion Jonathan Rea and brothers Glenn and Andrew Irwin can go on to build on their weekend successes on the World Superbike and British Superbike stages.
Rea moved four points clear at the top of the WSB standings with a hat-trick of wins at Portimao in Portugal.
Andrew Irwin took two wins and Glenn Irwin three second places at the opening round of the BSB championship at Donington Park, with Glenn 10 points clear of his sibling in the series.
'Dynamic has changed' for world champion Rea
McWilliams, who also competed in both World and British Superbikes during his career, believes fellow Northern Irishman Rea can use his treble in round three of the series as a springboard to retain his title.
"The dynamic has changed for Jonathan in that there is more competition biting at his heels - other riders have stepped up to the mark and it isn't a two-horse race like it was last year between him and Alvaro Bautista," reflected McWilliams.
"When he gets to a circuit like Portimao where he has been dominant in the past he hammers home his advantage and capitalises on the opportunity and then he will pick up good points elsewhere.
"Over the season I expect his experience and consistency to see him through to win the title again but it is shaping up to be a very interesting championship.
"I'd love to see him win it again but he's not getting it all his own way and if you ask him I think that's the way he would prefer it. World championships are there to be fought for."
Jeremy McWilliams has followed up his short circuit career by winning races at the North West 200
Ducatis should hold upper hand at Aragon
England's Scott Redding lies second in the championship for Ducati, with Turk Toprak Razgatlioglu, riding a Yamaha, third after three of the scheduled nine rounds.
"The other riders will all have accepted that Portimao is Jonathan's track because he had done so well there in the past on the Kawasaki," continued McWilliams.
"But Ducati will go to the next round at Aragon and think 'that's one of ours'. They will look at the data from previous years and see that it favours them.
"The Ducatis will be hard to beat at circuits like Aragon with its long straight, whereas they have an issue in stopping the bike with bigger riders on board. They are not able to capitalise on braking, which is an area where Jonathan is stronger.
Redding was a double winner at the Jerez round of the championship
"Considering he had never been at Portimao before what Scott did at the weekend was very impressive and he looks like being Johnny's main opponent in the championship.
"Toprak is there or thereabouts too and he is going to be a powerful force but I wouldn't bank on him winning races week in, week out the way Johnny or Scott are capable of doing."
With some uncertainty still hanging over the remainder of the season because of the possibility of further restrictions being imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, McWilliams says Rea will be keen "to get as many points on the board as possible as quickly as possible".
"It's an international series and if restrictions come in again it could be a very shortlived championship so it's important Johnny keeps his nose in front.
"Those wins in Portugal will have been good for his confidence and he has shown that he can be points behind and then come out of a good weekend ahead again. That's typical Jonathan, we know he is capable of that."
'Determination key to Irwins' success'
While Rea was blazing a trail on the world stage, Honda Racing team-mates Glenn and Andrew Irwin were showing their opponents the way on the new version of the Japanese manufacturer's Fireblade machine in the first of the condensed six-round British Superbike series.
"I'm not sure that Andrew and Glenn expected to have such a competitive package straight away although Andrew did tell me it was the best bike he had sat on so they were quietly confident of being there or thereabouts.
"The bike is basically a stock road-going one with very few factory parts so there is more potential to come from it.
Glenn Irwin leads Andrew Irwin on their Honda Fireblades at Donington
"In the end their determination shone through, that was the decisive factor. They showed they were more determined than anyone else out there.
"They have gathered good early points to give them momentum to take into the rest of the year and it's just unfortunate for Andrew that he was disqualified from second place in the third race.
"His collision with Josh Brookes looks 50/50 if you look back closely at it even though it was Andrew that was penalised.
"To have a 1-2 in two races at the first round with it being a new team and a new bike for Glenn and a new bike for Andrew is outstanding."
'Motivated brothers must stay injury-free'
McWilliams believes BSB currently provides the closest racing of any championship in the world and expects Ducati-mounted Brookes, Christian Iddon and Tommy Bridewell, plus Yamaha's Jason O'Halloran to provide strong opposition to the Irwin brothers.
"Last weekend offered up some of the closest racing I have ever seen and I expect that to continue. I could watch those three races again and again.
"The Ducati package is very good and there could be so many protagonists in the mix.
"Glenn and Andrew have to continue to be very determined in their way of riding but if anyone can do that they can.
"They are very motivated this year, Glenn is more motivated than I have ever seen him as he tries to turn things round after a difficult season in 2019.
"With it being a compressed series riders can't afford to pick up any little injury which would prevent them riding at the next round but the nature of how the championship is and how hard you have to ride mean these things can and will happen.
"Let's hope that luck is on their side and they can stay injury-free."