Kawasaki unveils contender for 2022 World Superbike fightback

It becomes the third different WSBK manufacturer to launch its new bike after Honda and Ducati, with just Yamaha and BMW yet to formally showcase their new offerings for 2022.

Kawasaki’s rider line-up will again be fronted by six-time WSBK champion Jonathan Rea, with Alex Lowes joining the 35-year-old for the third season in succession after signing a new multi-year contract in 2021.

Kawasaki enters the 2022 season with the aim of wresting the crown back from Yamaha after coming out second-best in a season-long fight between the two Japanese manufacturers last year.

Yamaha's triumph ended Kawasaki’s six-year reign in the production-based class, having been unbeaten in the category since Rea joined the squad from Honda in 2015 and formed the most successful partnership in the series’ history.

Kawasaki will be hoping that the upgrades it has made to the ZX-10RR in 2022 will help trim the performance deficit to Yamaha R1, after Rea urged the manufacturer to “step up” its game in December in the face of strong opposition from rivals.

Rea on his part will be hoping to cut down on the errors that plagued his 2021 campaign, with the Ulsterman crashing on multiple occasions while running in podium positions as he tried to make up for the shortcomings of the Kawasaki.

Rea will return to his preferred #65 bike number for the first time since 2015, having lost the right to use the #1 plate to reigning champion Toprak Razgatlioglu of Yamaha.

His teammate Lowes, meanwhile, will be targeting an injury-free campaign after missing seven races in the final four rounds of the season due to a spate of costly incidents.

Lowes’ prolonged absence and a lack of available replacements contributed to Kawasaki slipping to third in the manufacturers' championship last year, behind Yamaha and Ducati.

“After over a decade being so closely connected with this Kawasaki WorldSBK project, and with eight titles in that time, our primary goals are another riders’ championship, plus teams’ and manufacturers’ titles in 2022," said KRT team manager Guim Roda.

"Launching the new team livery so close to our base in Granollers allows everyone connected with the team to be involved and it’s a great launch pad for our mission to succeed.

"Both Johnny and Alex have the potential to win races and chase for championship honours, and we have many dedicated staff who have worked with us for several years. For sure the challenge is big but we have come up with good plans and now our ‘big unveil’ becomes a major public display of our commitment to succeed.”

The new WSBK season begins with a trio of races at Aragon on April 9-10. The majority of the 2022 field is expected to convene at Barcelona this week for two days of private running, before they travel to Aragon for an official Dorna-supported test.