Jonathan Rea: “Success” makes WorldSBK retirement “easier”

The decision to retire from full-time racing in WorldSBK was made “easier” for Jonathan Rea by the success he has had in the past.

Rea won six World Superbike titles back-to-back in the 2010s with Kawasaki, and is a 119-time winner in the premier class of the production derivative series.

His time with Yamaha, which he joined in 2024, has been in contrast to that success, with only one podium from one-and-a-half seasons in blue.

The combination of being uncompetitive now and the memories of how competitive he was in the past made it “easier” for Rea to make the decision to retire.

“It’s an easier decision to make when I’ve had the success that I’ve had in my career, it was much easier,” Jonathan Rea told a special press conference at Magny-Cours ahead of the WorldSBK French Round.

“I’m not angry, I’m not frustrated because I won more than I expected to win ever. I dreamed of this. 

“So, this made the decision easier than if I didn’t have any success and I was always waking up angry every day trying to win a race or trying to win a championship. 

“But it’s true, the lack of being competitive has been a factor, because, like any motorcyclist or sports person knows, especially as you get older, it’s a huge sacrifice to be competitive.

“This sport has given me an incredible life, I have a great wife and kids at home, a nice life away from the track. 

“So, when the sacrifice isn’t worth it– and this is not from a monetary point of view, it’s from a fulfilment point of view, because I’ve been [at the top] and now I don’t feel like I’m arriving at that potential [so] it’s easy to make the decision because I had the good feeling before. 

“So, it’s connected both ways.”