Next season, the top Kawasaki rider will attempt to equal the record of four world titles obtained by his compatriot Carl Fogarty in the Superbike World Championship. 2018 will also mark the implementation of the new WSBK technical regulations, which will result in a limitation of engine speed in order to reduce the dominance of a particular model, as is currently the case.
Johnny Rea is not in favor of this settlement, and he explained to The Guardian why he would like to return to MotoGP, with Kawasaki if possible. He began by recalling his difficult racing debut in 2004: “ I was riding a 125 then, but I was too big and too heavy for that bike. So I took the opportunity to race with Honda in Supersport. I was riding well, but after six races I broke my femur. »
“My brakes completely failed while I was traveling at around 250 km/h. I wasn't knocked out, but I wish I was because I was in a world of hurt. The track doctor said I broke my femur. I thought " How does he know? » He later told me he could see the femur sticking out of my leather. »
“It was so broken that the doctors told me I wouldn't be able to run again. It took four operations to repair the leg. The doctors kept saying I wouldn't run again, but that motivated me and I was back in the saddle eight months later ».
Rea competed in six full seasons of World Superbikes with Honda, but it wasn't until he joined Kawasaki in 2015 that his talent exploded. “I had great support at Honda, but the bike was not the best. I could only win races when the stars aligned in the firmament. In fact, I had 14 race wins with Honda, but I was never Champion. So when I finally found Kawasaki, I was ready to win because of my experience ».
Rumors of a possible move to MotoGP have intensified, but Rea is under contract with Kawasaki until the end of 2018. It would be a fairy tale to go to MotoGP with Kawasaki but it is very unlikely. There were rumors last year about Suzuki because one of their riders (Andrea Iannone) was struggling and it seemed like I would be the logical replacement ».
Rea replaced Casey Stoner, injured, at Honda during two MotoGP races in 2012. “ I finished seventh and eighth and really enjoyed it. It was the heyday of motorcycle racing, but it almost went unnoticed – especially since I was racing Superbike at the same time on completely different tires. »
In WSBK, Johnny Rea is motivated to win his fourth consecutive championship, but he has made it clear that he would consider a move if a major MotoGP team contacted him for 2019. " Yes, one hundred percent. I would be really excited because I would see this as my chance. Andrea Dovizioso is 31 years old and has had the most incredible year. Valentino Rossi is 38 years old and still ahead. The MotoGP mentality is therefore changing. Previously, they needed children, but now experience counts. So maybe my time has come? »
Photo © Kawasaki
Source: Donald McRae for The Guardian
