This is a good question. And it was asked by the site Motoracing which precisely looked at two radically different approaches to two similar facts. On one side one Marc Marquez dominator in Grand Prix and who commands admiration. On the other, a Jonathan Rhea equally talented in Superbike, but who is criticized to the point of being accused of creating boredom in the category. An injustice ?
Comparison is not right, as the adage goes, but you still have to look closely at the statistics. On one side one Marc Marquez who has won five titles in six years, 44 victories in 107 GPs, which gives a success rate of 41,2%, 116 podiums and 80 leading positions. On the other, and since 2015, the year he joined the ranks of Kawasaki, a Jonathan Rhea at the head of 56 successes in 103 races, a success rate of 54,4%. And four consecutive titles with the ZX-10R. since 2008, he has made 243 starts, he has been on 134 podiums, and 71 times on the first step.
Two authentic champions who, however, are not entitled to the same consideration. Marquez is the highlight of a popular spectacle, Rea is the cause of all the ills of a discipline in decline. He even goes so far as to ask his opponents for technical handicaps to slow him down. The Ducati official Chaz Davies does not say anything else when he talks about not homologating the future Kawasaki model.
So yes, Jonathan Rhea deserves as much consideration as Marc Marquez on his journey and career. As for the health and management of a category, it is not the prerogative of a driver. But from an organizer.
