Jonathan Rea explains plan to tackle UK WorldSBK at Donington Park

Donington Park remains the only circuit to have seen Jonathan Rea score a WorldSBK podium aboard the Yamaha R1, and the Northern Irish rider returns there this weekend for the 2025 UK Round.

Rea arrives at his home World Superbike round, at a circuit which has seen him take victory on five previous occasions, off the back of a Misano round that he felt took a positive direction, but which ultimately ended with a DNF in Race 2.

“I’m really excited to go to Donington after a few weeks off following Misano – it was a tricky event for us, but step-by-step we made some progress until finishing on a tough note in Race 2,” Jonathan Rea said ahead of the UK Round.

“Looking forward, though, Donington is a track I’ve had great success at in the past and last year achieved my best result with Yamaha with a podium in the Superpole Race.

“We’ve had a couple of tough Fridays in Most and Misano, so the target is to maximise laps on Friday, understand the R1 around our home track and work step-by-step through the weekend to arrive with good race rhythm.

“It’s going to be great to have good home support and a lot of travelling support from Northern Ireland and it’s my team’s home race as well, so a lot to get excited for and let’s hope we can be closer to the sharp end and fight where both the bike and the team deserve.”

Locatelli with “great energy and confidence”

While Rea’s weekend ended with a crash in Misano, Andrea Locatelli’s had a more positive conclusion with a podium in the Superpole Race and a fourth in Race 2.

“After a really positive weekend in Misano, we head to Donington with great energy and confidence,” Locatelli, who has been announced as the third member on Yanaha’s factory Suzuka 8 Hours team since the Misano round, said ahead of the UK WorldSBK.

“The whole team did an amazing job last time out, and that gives us an extra boost going into this next round.

“Donington is a fast, flowing, and technical circuit with so much history — it’s always a special place to race.

“I also had a great experience last week testing in Suzuka with the factory team, so the goal, as always, is to give 100 per cent, keep building on the progress we’ve made and – most importantly – enjoy ourselves on track.

“We’re fully focused and ready to keep pushing.”