From Northern Ireland to the world elite: early years with Honda
Rea made his debut in the Superbike World Championship in 2008 at the season finale in Portimao, having previously attracted attention with strong performances in the Supersport World Championship. In his very first Superbike race, he impressed with a front-row start and a fourth-place finish. From 2009, he competed in the Superbike World Championship for Hannspree Ten Kate Honda. In five years on the CBR1000RR, he achieved 15 race wins and a total of 42 podium finishes. However, his definitive breakthrough only came with his move to Kawasaki.
Green dominance: The Kawasaki years
For the 2015 season, Rea moved to the Kawasaki Racing Team and switched to the ZX-10RR. Success was not long in coming: he scored a victory in his very first race for Kawasaki at Phillip Island. He finished the season with 14 race wins and the world championship title. In the following years, Rea dominated the series almost at will: in 2016, he claimed nine victories, followed by his third consecutive title in 2017, which he successfully defended in 2018, 2019, and 2020. With six world championship titles, he set a new record, surpassing Carl Fogarty’s previous best.
Rea won a total of 104 races and stood on the podium 221 times – all of which are records. However, from 2021 onwards, his winning streak came to a halt. Toprak Razgatlioglu (BMW) and Álvaro Bautista (Ducati) won the titles in the following years. Rea then decided to change teams, leaving behind one of the most successful eras in the history of the Kawasaki factory team.
A new chapter: Yamaha commitment from 2024
In a spectacular rider change, Rea took over the Yamaha R1 for the 2024 season, succeeding Razgatlioglu, who had moved to BMW. Despite high expectations, major success failed to materialize. Although Rea secured pole position in the rain at Assen and celebrated a podium finish at his home race at Donington Park, injuries and technical difficulties prevented a consistent upward trend.
2025 was also a bumpy ride: an injury-enforced break at the start of the season further slowed the veteran down. Despite a few bright spots, Rea was unable to keep up with the leaders on a consistent basis with Yamaha – the decision to retire came shortly before the season finale.
Emotional farewell
In a farewell video, Rea said: “I’ve thought long and hard about this day and have now decided to retire from full-time racing. This sport has been everything to me – from my childhood in Northern Ireland to the World Championship titles in Superbike. My only goal has always been to win. I never competed just to take part.”
He went on to emphasize: “It’s not the trophies or records that remain, but the people and memories. I’ve been fortunate to work with incredible teams and great people. I thank my family for all their sacrifices. And I thank my rivals for making me stronger. This is not goodbye – I will remain connected to the sport.”
Yamaha honors a champion
Andrea Dosoli, Motorsport Director at Yamaha Motor Europe, honored Rea’s achievements with the words: “Jonathan is an exceptional rider with a unique career. It was an honor to compete against him for many years – and to work with him for the last two years. Even though our joint project did not go as hoped, Jonathan always showed commitment and professionalism. We want to finish the last four races together in the best possible way.”
A record for eternity
Jonathan Rea leaves the motorsport stage with impressive statistics:
- 6 world championship titles
- 119 race wins
- 263 podium finishes
- 41 pole positions
- 102 fastest race laps
(As of the end of the 2025 season, according to current WorldSBK data)
His retirement marks the end of an era in Superbike racing. Rea’s name will remain associated with consistency, professionalism, and sporting ambition—and with a list of records that is likely to stand for a long time to come.
