Jonathan Rea pens two-year World Superbike deal with Yamaha

Six-time champion Rea’s departure from Kawasaki after nine years was announced on Monday morning.

Eric de Seynes, President & CEO, Yamaha Motor Europe, said he believed the Ulster rider can add to his unparalleled haul of championship titles when he embarks on a new challenge to ride the YZF-R1.

“We are very happy to welcome Jonathan to the Yamaha family and we are very much motivated to collaborate with him for the future,” he said.

“We have the same motivation to win, and the same passion for WorldSBK. Like him we have been world champions in recent years and we want to be back on the top of the box once again.

“Jonathan’s drive, determination and hunger for success have been constants throughout his career and these attributes will contribute to our future common success.

“We truly believe that Jonathan can add to his world championship tally, writing his name even larger in the history books, and we are equally confident that he can achieve this together with us.

“We are working hard to improve further our race proven Yamaha R1, to ensure that we provide Jonathan with exactly what he needs to achieve his and Yamaha’s goals in 2024 and 2025.”

Rea, who joined Kawasaki in 2015 and won six straight titles, will join the team following 2021 champion Toprak Razgatlioglu’s switch to BMW Motorrad.

The 36-year-old has won a record 119 World Superbike races but has struggled to seriously challenge Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista and Pata Yamaha rider Razgatlioglu over the past two seasons on the Kawasaki ZX-10RR.

Rea was narrowly beaten to the title in 2021 by Razgatlioglu and finished third last season Bautista and his Turkish rival, winning six races.

He has slipped further behind the pair this year, with Rea achieving his first win of 2023 at the previous round at Most in the Czech Republic at the end of July.

Rea is currentlythird in the 2023 standings, 176 points behind the Bautista and 102 adrift of Razgatlioglu with four rounds to go.

The championship resumes this weekend at Magny-Cours in France after a lenghty summer break.