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Jonathan Rea says leaving Kawasaki for Yamaha ‘felt so strange’ but that becoming a seven-time WorldSBK champion was behind his decision.
Despite his continued success with Kawasaki, winning races in 2022 and to a lesser extent in 2023, six-time champion Jonathan Rea made the decision to switch teams and join Yamaha, replacing Toprak Razgatlioglu. Last season, it became evident that Ducati had the strongest package on the grid, with Yamaha coming in as a clear second, even though Razgatlioglu occasionally made the difference. In a documentary about his success with Kawasaki, Rea revealed that he had considered retiring but realized he still had potential and a love for racing. He felt the need for something different, a spark, and although it was challenging, he made the decision to move on. Rea will now lead Yamaha’s charge next season and could be Alvaro Bautista’s biggest threat, as Bautista aims to become a three-time world champion. Rea, on the other hand, hopes to achieve a seventh championship title and joining Yamaha has made that goal more possible, according to him.
