Six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea topped the timesheets during recent testing at Jerez, Spain, clocking the quickest time of 1m53.058s in wet conditions aboard his Pata Prometeon Yamaha.

Coming off a challenging 2024 season where he finished 13th overall with just one podium, the 37-year-old Northern Irishman is determined to return to winning form in 2025. It marked his first winless season in an 18-year career that includes 119 victories and 263 podium finishes.

The Yamaha team has implemented significant upgrades for 2025, including electronics improvements for better acceleration and power delivery, plus chassis refinements. Rea's longtime colleague Oriol Pallares has also joined as his new crew chief.

"After the disappointments of last year, everybody at Yamaha, including myself, had to take a step forward," Rea said. "I'm pretty excited to see the bike we start the season with. I know that we're going to take a step from last year."

Despite the struggles, Rea remains confident in his abilities: "When I get the bike underneath me that I need, I'm 100-percent convinced that we can be competitive and fight at the front."

Dismissing retirement talk, Rea is focused on the season opener at Phillip Island, Australia in late February. "I'm too headstrong to try and make the best out of this story. I can't think of my life without racing in it. This story is not done by far."

Related Articles

Previous Articles