SBK, Rea: "Me and Kawasaki like Rossi and Yamaha, but I needed a change"

It’s only normal to have a touch of the blues ahead of the last dance, thinking about what has been (so good as to appear unrepeatable) and what will be no more. But at the same time there’s real curiosity for the adventures to come.

Who knows what it feels like to have amassed six world championship trophies, all with the same manufacturer, and to know that on the Monday after the Jerez round – taking place this weekend – it will be time to walk into a different garage and take those first steps on another planet. Jonathan Rea embodies all of this and more, both for his history with Kawasaki – where the consecutive titles tell of his legendary impact for the manufacturer – and his intelligence as a rider and person.

 Rea, the last dance with Kawasaki

The Northern Irish rider, one of the most pensive and intelligent in the paddock, has been able to sustain his career whilst also knowing exactly how to measure his words in every situation. Even situations that no one would have expected a year ago, not even the rider himself. The separation between Rea and the Akashi manufacturer has had a thunderous impact on the SBK championship, equal only to Valentino Rossi’s departure from Honda and Yamaha in MotoGP, or, in more recent times, Marc Marquez’s split with Honda. And the noise has only been heightened by Rea’s destination, the Yamaha camp, against which he has battled season after season – particularly in 2021 – but that now appears to offer the only weapon capable of unnerving the superpower that is Alvaro Bautista and the Ducati. “We’ll find out next year who’s made the best bet” commented Toprak Razgatlioglu when he found out that Rea would inherit his R1.

And, deep down, the Cannibal is probably thinking the same thing as, at the age of 37, he prepares for a 2024 season that will see him climb aboard a new bike. We never stop learning.

Jonathan, an easy one to start, how are you?

“Good, really good. Confirming my future plans has allowed me to focus on the last races of the season and really give it my all. I’m happy also thanks to my wife, who brought a new puppy home a few days ago. I was a bit annoyed at first, as we usually discuss that kind of thing first, but I quickly fell in love. I’m always ready to get out on track at any time”.

When did you start to think it was time to change?

“I had many options in mind, one of which was retiring. I’d already considered it in the past, after my first title for example. At the time I was talking to my friends and saying, 'I’ve won a title, my life is complete’. But racing is my passion and things move fast, so year after year I’d think about the next year, and I’m still here. Things didn’t start well this season, so I starting thinking about retirement again, but the opportunity to change was more convincing”.

 Rea: the future is Yamaha

Why this decision?

“I needed something new. I felt too motivated to stop, but also wanted a new challenge to tackle".

Will you take your crew chief Pere Riba to Yamaha?

"I don’t know, I’ve only discussed my own future for now”.

You’ll be back with Davide Gentile, your electronics technician until last year.

“I think so, I hope so, he’d be a link to the past”.

From the outside, it feels like the end of an era – do you see it that way too?

“It’s hard to describe the situation from the inside. I don’t know if it’s the end of an era, also because my name and the Kawasaki name will always be linked in some way. It’s an important chapter of my life which is now coming to an end. Kawasaki and I will be a little like Rossi and Yamaha, in terms of the long-term relationship”.

You’ve always talked a lot with Razgatlioglu, particularly in recent weeks. Has he given you any advice?

“We haven’t talked about bikes to be honest, only about watches! He has one with the inscription “2021 World Champion”, something I don’t have. We’ve also talked cars and travel, but not bikes.”

Toprak duelled with Bautista at Portimao, and was twice beaten along the final straight – are you worried about the R1’s deficit along the straight?

“I prefer not to answer that”.

In a previous interview for Motosprint we talked about Marc Marquez, who looked like he would make a change while you wouldn’t. In the end you’ve beaten him to it.

“Let’s say that I’ve had to measure my words recently, I couldn’t talk openly. I’m a Kawasaki rider until the very last race of the season though and am 100% focused on the present. As for Marc, I presume the situation is the same – he’s a champion and he wants the best”.

 Rea: "Bassani will have a lot of work to do"

How do you hope to leave Kawasaki?

“The title’s not possible of course, but it would be great to win another race. If I could do that, I’d be the rider with the most world championship wins, equaling Giacomo Agostini (who has 123, while Rea has 122, excluding his two victories at the Suzuka 8 Hours). To do that with Kawasaki would be amazing. I seized the opportunity at Most, but didn’t during the Superpole Race at Portimao. I’m really sorry about that because I felt it was my last chance to win with this manufacturer, considering my expectations for Jerez are not great.”

Are you pleased with the final part of your season, in which you recovered after a bad start?

“We’ve had three rounds at three tracks that were potentially favourable and we’ve been able to exploit that, though not completely. In the last races the podium has become a constant at least (six top three finishes in the last nine races) and that’s already a step forward with respect to our tricky season start”.

Axel Bassani will be on your bike in 2024 - what do you think about that?

“I found out he’d signed just an hour before the press release came out, via a message from Guim Roda (KRT team manager). It’s a great opportunity for him, as we’re talking about a factory team after all. We spoke that same evening in the paddock at Portimao…”.

And what did you say to him?

“I told him he’d be working with a fantastic group of people. He’ll also have a lot of work to do, no doubt about that, but I wish him all the best.”