Jonathan Rea embarks on new role as Honda HRC test rider at Jerez in Spain this week
Jonathan Rea has commenced his new role as a test rider for the Honda HRC World Superbike team as the first official test of 2026 gets under way at Jerez in Spain.
Rea’s had his first outing on World Superbike machinery on Tuesday since he competed in his final race weekend as a full-time rider at the Spanish circuit in October after announcing his retirement.
The six-time world champion was keen to stay involved in the sport and the option to join Honda was too good to turn down, offering Rea the opportunity to satisfy his need for speed without the commitments of a full race season.
Honda is fielding a new-look line-up in the World Superbike Championship this year, with Moto2 Grand Prix race winners Jake Dixon and Thailand’s Somkiat Chantra brought in to replace Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona.
However, Dixon will be the factory team’s only race rider on track at the two-day test after Chantra sustained a fractured right arm in a training crash at Sepang in Malaysia.
Should he remain sidelined for the opening round of 2026 at Phillip Island in Australia, then Rea could potentially be in the frame to fill the void. The 38-year-old is already mooted to be making limited appearances this year as a wild card.
Rea won the Special Recognition accolade at the Irish Motorbike Awards in Belfast on Friday but missed the event to travel to Australia with his wife Tatia, whose mother Barb sadly passed away last week.
However, in a specially recorded video message, he said he was looking forward to “an incredible opportunity” with Honda.
“What I do have now is an incredible opportunity to keep riding bikes with Honda, where it all started back in 2008 when they gave me my chance to go to the World Superbike Championship,” said Rea.
“I won 14 races with Honda and then obviously when I moved to Kawasaki, that’s when I really made my name.
“I’m looking forward to staying involved with bikes and getting that buzz, spending more time at home with my wife and kids and enjoying life at a slower pace, and try to reflect on what I’ve achieved in the sport and really let that absorb in.”
This year’s World Superbike Championship will also be missing reigning champion Toprak Razgatlioglu, who is preparing for his rookie season in MotoGP with the Pramac Yamaha team.