In a surprising turn of events, six-time WorldSBK Champion Jonathan Rea has made an early departure from his Kawasaki contract and inked a two-year deal with Yamaha. The FIM Superbike World Championship was rocked by this announcement in September. Rea, widely regarded as the most successful rider in World Superbike history at the age of 36, is set to take the place of Toprak Razgatlioglu at the Yamaha factory team. Razgatlioglu had previously disclosed his intention to switch to BMW in 2024.

While Rea still had one year remaining on his Kawasaki contract, an agreement was reached that allows him to make the switch to the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Official Team alongside his new teammate, Andrea Locatelli.

Jonathan Rea's WorldSBK journey began in 2008, but it was his move from Ten Kate Honda to Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) in 2015 that marked the start of his dominance. Over the course of nine seasons aboard the Kawasaki ZX-10RR, Rea secured an impressive six consecutive world championships from 2015 to 2020. His legacy in the WorldSBK class extends to various records, encompassing race victories, points accrued, fastest laps, and races contested, even before his Kawasaki years.

In an Instagram post confirming his departure from Kawasaki, Rea expressed his gratitude to the team and KRT for affording him the opportunity to prove himself at the highest echelons of the sport. While acknowledging the pinnacle of his career with six world championships under Kawasaki's banner, Rea also cherished the "amazing memories, life lessons, and laughter that will accompany him into the future." He took pride in the joy and happiness he brought to Kawasaki fans and owners worldwide.

A statement issued by Yamaha Motor Europe on September 4th solidified Rea's two-year commitment to the team. Rea and Locatelli are poised to create a "formidable partnership" within the Pata Yamaha Promoteon WorldSBK R1.

Eric de Seynes, President and CEO of Yamaha Motor Europe, expressed his delight at welcoming Jonathan to the Yamaha family, citing Rea's unwavering drive, determination, and hunger for success throughout his career as valuable assets that bode well for their shared future. Yamaha is confident in Rea's potential to add to his world championship tally and anticipates achieving this milestone together with him.

#MotoSport #Race #Yamaha #Superbike #Racing #WorldSBK