Six-time MOTUL FIM Superbike World Champion Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) is preparing to suit up for the final time of what has been an utterly monumental career as a full-time rider in the Championship. The Pirelli Spanish Round’s Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, Andalucia, holds a special significance to the Ulsterman as, among other accolades, it was the track where he was crowned with his first World title; poetic justice for the legend of the sport.

ON AN UPWARD TREND: "I’ve been around the top five. Compared to the beginning of the season being injured, then the middle of the season being difficult, it’s been positive"

In the offseason after the 2024 campaign in which he and Yamaha struggled to find strong results, it was clear that Rea was determined to get back on the horse and return to his winning ways. However, disaster struck in Australia before the season’s opening race. Several fractures in his foot saw him miss the first three rounds of the season. Once he did return, it took another few rounds before he was fully fit, earning his first result inside the top 10 at Misano with his Tissot Superpole Race P7. Since then, he’s been placing inside the top eight with regularity, setting the table for ending his career on a high note.

On his feelings before Jerez, Rea said: “Right now, I feel excited to start the weekend and try to do a good job. It’s been nice these last few races. I’ve felt a little more competitive and have been around the top five. Compared to the beginning of the season, when I was injured and the middle of the season was difficult, it’s been positive. I’m just trying to put all the emotions of the future and what comes next on hold until Sunday and try to give a really good job here for my team.”

LETTING IT SINK IN: “I’ve had landmark moments here like winning my first title. It brings back some really nice memories now that I’m slowing down my brain and thinking about what it means”

Rea is focused on giving his all in this final weekend and taking these final three cracks at the grid atop the Yamaha R1; however, ahead of the round, in the deluge of media attention he’s attracting, the perspective is starting to set in. Regardless of the results he and his Yamaha outfit attain, the Ulsterman is determined to leave it all out on the track before moving on to his next chapter.

 Taking a step back and looking at what this weekend means to him on the whole, Rea said: “Jerez is a special place to me, it’s very apt that I end my career here in WorldSBK. To be honest, it’s a track that I haven’t had the best feelings with, but I’ve had landmark moments here like winning my first title. It brings back some really nice memories now that I’m slowing down my brain and thinking about what it means. I’m reflecting on what an amazing career I’ve had, which makes me both happy and proud. I have three more races to give my all and to try to reward Yamaha in a great way for their 100% support throughout difficult moments. It’s a nice full-circle moment to close the chapter here at Jerez. The ideal ending is for us to go out winning a race, but we’re still far away from that to be honest, we’ve been smelling the podium in the last races but nothing in the last laps, if we can give 100% of our potential we can be satisfied, If that means fighting within the top 5, then that’s what we have.”

A DREAM COME TRUE: “I grew up in Northern Ireland as a kid with pipe dreams of being a World Champion, but I’ve managed to achieve that dream, not once, but six times”

Speaking at a special press conference ahead of the round, Rea took the opportunity to address his competitors and teammates, both present and past. Rea said: “It’s been an epic journey to get here, the timing for me feels really right to close the curtain on my WorldSBK career. It’s been a hell of a ride, and before I go on, I want to thank my parents, brothers, sisters, my wife and my kids because they’re the backbone of my career. People only see the highlight reel, they don’t see the tough moments, the blood sweat and tears to get to that point and I’m incredibly grateful to them. Thank you to Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha, you’ve given me the opportunity to live my dream. I grew up in Northern Ireland as a kid with pipe dreams of being a World Champion, but I’ve managed to achieve that dream, not once, but six times. I’m not naïve enough to think that there aren’t  hundreds or thousands young riders with amazing talents who never get that opportunity. If there’s one lesson I’d give the younger generation, its to be ready when that opportunity faces you, when I got that opportunity, I grabbed it with both hands and I was ready and won my first of many titles.”

Rea continued: “I’d like to thank my competitors I raced against, you brought out the best of me, notably Chaz Davies. I had such an amazing time racing against Chaz, I was thinking about you quite a lot when I was coming to this decision, in fact I wanted to call you to understand that feeling. Does it creep up or does it hit you like a hammer where one day you wake up and you have to make that decision. I got choked up when Chaz was here just a few years ago announcing his retirement, I felt it was the end of an era not just for him but for me. I felt like this decision crept up quite quickly. I felt like a character in a game who was going to die, I was quite worried and sad, but I realized that that character was going to live, just in a different game. Thanks to all my rivals, I’ve been blessed to start in this Championship in 2008, I got to race with the best: Bayliss, Courser, Haga, Spies, Melandri, Biaggi, Checa, Alvaro, Chaz, Tom Sykes, Guintoli and others. Thank you to WorldSBK, it has given me so much, but it has also taken a lot away as well, I’ve lost friends, colleagues, and enjoyed lots of time in hospital rooms which makes the decision to walk away much easier. I’m looking forward to my life coming next going at a much slower pace, spending time with my family, enjoying the next new challenge. I want to extend a real a heartfelt thank you WorldSBK, the teams I’ve worked with and the technical crews giving me the platform to do this job. Otherwise, I’d just be another fast kid on a motorbike. You’ve made my dreams come true and just seeing the turnout here makes me feel incredibly special.”

Tune in for this historic swan song round for Rea and Razgatlioglu! Watch live or on demand this weekend with the WorldSBK VideoPass! Now just €9.99!