Jonathan Rea’s final race weekend in the World Superbike Championship did not begin as he would have hoped after the six-time champion was involved in a high-speed crash in Saturday’s opening race at Jerez in Spain.

The Northern Ireland rider will retire from full-time racing this weekend, bringing his glittering career to an end.

Rea will have two more races on Sunday to make amends after he crashed out of eighth place on the third lap of the first race.

The 38-year-old had qualified seventh fastest but his race ended abruptly in the Jerez gravel.

placeholder image — World Superbike rider Jonathan Rea crashed out of the opening race at Jerez in Spain on Saturday. (Photo by Graeme Brown)

Rea was fortunate to avoid being hit by his Pata Maxus Yamaha, which bounced into the air after colliding with the air fencing and landed beside him.

Describing the incident, race commentator Greg Haines said: “He was so fortunate that the bike didn’t come down on top of him. That is the corner where Mick Doohan’s career ended in 1999.

“I saw Jonathan moving, I hope he’s not been hurt. That was a scary way to start his last race weekend and I’m sure he’ll be thinking 'I’m glad this retirement is coming sooner rather than later'."

Rea was quickly up on his feet and walked away from the incident.

Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega won the race from championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT B BMW) to ensure the title fight continues into Sunday, with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Ducati) rounding out the top three.