WATCH: Jonathan Rea's video message from Australia after World Superbike legend absent from Irish Motorbike Awards due to family bereavement

Name: Jonathan Rea explains absence from Irish Motorbike Awards
Uploaded: 2026-01-18T13:53:13.000Z
Duration: 1 min 21 s
Description: Jonathan Rea missed the Adelaide Irish Motobike Awards in Belfast due to a family bereavement.

By Kyle White

News Letter Assistant Sports Editor

Published 18th Jan 2026, 13:53 GMT

World Superbike legend Jonathan Rea was absent from the Adelaide Irish Motorbike Awards on Friday in Belfast after flying to Australia with his wife following a family bereavement.

Rea won the Monster Energy Special Recognition Award after retiring from full-time racing at the end of last season as the most successful World Superbike rider ever, winning six successive titles and 119 races.

He took some time out to record a video message, which was played to the sold-out crowd at the gala ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.