Honda HRC World Superbike test rider Jonathan Rea to make Portimao return after undergoing surgery on foot
Test rider Jonathan Rea will return to action with the Honda HRC World Superbike team at a two-day test at Portimao in Portugal on Monday and Tuesday.
The six-time champion recently underwent surgery on his foot to remove plates and screws after he fractured his left foot at Phillip Island in Australian during a test in February last year.
Rea made his debut as a test rider for Honda at Jerez in January and will stand in for injured Briton Jake Dixon at the Portimao test, who has undergone surgery on his left wrist after crashing at Phillip Island last month.
Rea will be joined by Thai rider Somkiat Chantra in Portugal as he makes his comeback following a training crash at Sepang in Malaysia in January, which left him with a fractured arm.
Chantra and Dixon were signed by Honda for 2026 in a new-look line-up, replacing Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge.
Rea could potentially compete in selected World Superbike race in 2026 as a wild card.
The 38-year-old retired from full-time racing at the final round of the 2025 championship following two seasons as a Yamaha rider.
Rea won his record six world titles in consecutive years with Kawasaki between 2015 and 2020.
The 119-time race winner says his main objective now is to help return Honda to the top in World Superbikes.
“I’ve got a good relationship with the engineers already,” Rea said.
“Riding for two rival manufacturers in the past, Kawasaki and Yamaha, they value my feedback. I always say it’s an underdog project because the very last time Honda won a dry race was with me in 2014.
“Honda deserves to be at the front and I hope to be able to help them do that – at least put them on the right path. They are going to have to work hard because all the manufacturers in World Superbike are working really hard.
“If we can try and help in some ways, then there is no reason why Honda can’t succeed.”
Round two of the World Superbike Championship takes place at Portimao from March 27-29.
Italy’s Nicolo Bulega leads the standings after completing a clean sweep of all three races for the Aruba.it Ducati team at Phillip Island at the end of February.