KRT and Jonathan Rea sign new deal
Announced on 18 June, the deal was curious insofar as no specific number was quoted by either Rea or Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT). With two-year contracts and one- or two-year contract extensions being the norm in World Superbikes, it suggests the “multi-year” deal with the 33-year-old from Northern Ireland may be for four years, mirroring the same long-term deal signed between HRC and Marc Marquez for MotoGP earlier this year.
“I am super happy to sign a new contract with Kawasaki and KRT. What we have achieved together is incredible,” Rea said.
“Our success is driven by a great team and of course the base of the project - our Ninja ZX-10RR. I will keep working hard, together with my crew, the engineers at KHI to be in the best condition every single race.
“This period away from racing has reignited a burning desire to keep winning and continue to improve my skills and the package of our bike. Racing never stands still and all the riders and manufacturers are continuing to improve - we must do the same. Now we can fully focus on our 2020 WorldSBK season where racing will restart soon.
“I want to thank Kawasaki, the team and all my sponsors for their continued support and this great opportunity.”
Since joining KRT in 2015, Rea has become not only Kawasaki’s most successful WSBK rider, but also the most successful in WSBK history. Five consecutive championships, all achieved with Kawasaki, eclipsed the previous all-time record of four set by Carl Fogarty, while the new deal will see Rea extend the records he’s already set for race wins (currently at 74 with KRT and 89 overall in WSBK) and podiums (128 with KRT and 170 overall), but the Ulsterman will have some way to go to claim the outright Superpole record.
Rea’s former team mate, Tom Sykes, has been the master of qualifying in recent years. Setting a new record for Superpoles of 44 in 2018 (passing the record previously held by Troy Corser), Sykes currently has 50 Superpole fastest laps to his name, the most recent achieved at this year’s opening WSBK round at Phillip Island, while Rea’s tally stands at 23. Of those, 19 have been achieved with KRT.
While no firm date has been set for a return to WSBK racing, Dorna expects to resume the season at Jerez in late July, following a “double header” for MotoGP at the same venue. From there, rounds at Portimao and Aragon may follow in August, but none of these have been confirmed, nor has the rescheduling of any rounds from the existing calendar.
Photos: Kawasaki Europe and GeeBee Images
