Redding: ‘Definitely easier than melting on the grid…’ tyre wear ‘a big factor’

BMW and Honda have been tied in a battle for fourth place in the WorldSBK Manufacturers’ standings since the beginning of the season, but with Lecuona out of action and only three points separating the two brands, Redding could play a big role in BMW moving ahead of Honda.

Xavi Vierge will be leading Honda’s charge to remain ahead of their rivals, but with Redding showing good speed in Mandalika, as was the case for Michael Van Der Mark in Race 1, BMW should manage to overhaul Honda.

• Razgatlioglu labels Bautista the favourite: ‘He’ll ride alone like Catalunya' 
• Miller: ‘I love watching WorldSBK’, expects Gardner to have success

To do so, keeping on top of tyre wear is going to be crucial as Phillip Island is one of the tougher venues on the calendar in that respect. 

Set to race in much cooler conditions than that of Mandalika which should also help with tyre wear, Redding added: "It’s definitely easier than melting on the grid! The track temperature in Indonesia was 60 degrees plus and I was just so hot, especially on the grid. 

"We were using fans and it was actually hotter. It was worse. We come here and we’ve got different track conditions and it’s colder than when we were here a couple of years ago. 

"We’ll do the same thing: figure what’s working with the tyres, keep an eye on track temperature and see what’s favouring which tyres. 

"From what I remember two years ago, tyre wear was a big factor, so we need to consider that. Indonesia was the same thing, we had to be quite smart with the tyres. 

"I hope we can work in that way and figure out what’s best. It’s quite a different track compared to what we’ve been to and also the weather. 

"We’ve got wind normally and a colder track, which should suit me a little bit more so hopefully we can have a good weekend."

‘Top five or better’ the goal for Vierge

While Vierge has had an inconsistent rookie season - the Spaniard has also had to contend with injuries - impressive speed has at times been shown by the former Moto2 rider.

Fourth place during the Superpole Race at Misano remains the highlight of his season, however, Vierge has managed to put a solid run of top tens together in recent rounds that spans across 11 races. 

Aiming to get back into the top five positions for the first time since Misano, Vierge said: "We have come to the final round of the season, and I cannot image any better location than Australia. I love the Phillip Island track and missed it so much when the pandemic prevented us from racing here. 

"So I’m excited to ride, my goal being to round out the year on a high, possibly top five or even better. 

"The weather is always a question mark, as it can change so quickly and dramatically here. I hope it will be dry, because when it rains here it’s usually quite cold too, but we will adapt to any situation."