GINO REA: I WANT TO TRY TO WIN EWC RACES AGAIN
Gino Rea achieved wet-weather riding hero status when he and local hero Xavier Siméon battled the elements to the podium at the inaugural 24H SPA EWC Motos last June .
The fact that Rea was still in contention for a place in the top three of the FIM Endurance World Championship at the legendary Belgian circuit owed much to the London native's refusal to give up.
His FCC TSR Honda France team was in the lead after 15 hours of racing, but a broken chain left Rea stranded on the track and he had no choice but to push his struggling bike to the pits, where quick repairs allowed the comeback to begin from outside the top 10.
Third place at Spa saw Rea and teammates Mike Di Meglio and Josh Hook arrive in Japan for the Suzuka 8 Hours in August firmly in the fight for the EWC title. They were prepared for a tough race in the heat and humidity of the Japanese summer, and against the might of several local stars and top World Superbike riders.
However, Rea was never able to take part in the race after a crash during Saturday practice left him fighting for his life with serious injuries. In addition to his traumatic brain injury, Rea broke two bones in his neck, his left collarbone and a rib. He also suffered bruised lungs and developed pneumonia. There were fears that he would no longer be able to walk, let alone ride a motorcycle, if he survived.
Seven months on from that horrific August day, Rea is not only on the road to recovery after an intense period of rehabilitation, he also has his sights set on a return to competition and what will be a busy Parade Tour of emotion before the 24 Heures Motos du Mans next week (April 15). Here's what the 33-year-old has to say about his incredible and heroic recovery.
Where are you, Gino, and how are you today?
« I am currently in Spain with my wife, Isabella, continuing my training and rehabilitation. I am doing well and feeling better every day. »
Where are you in your recovery?
« At first we were all very worried, because you never know what effects a brain injury can have in the long term, but I feel very happy and lucky to have gotten to where I am today. My training is going very well and my physical condition is improving day by day. I still need time, but it's on track. »
Can you describe a typical day for us?
“My day usually starts with light exercise or yoga in the morning, then there is my main workout of the day around midday. Some days are instead dedicated to rehabilitation, which is part of the recovery process. We had a nutritionist write out an eating plan for me, which is actually similar to what I was already doing, since I've always eaten healthy in general. Every once in a while I have a snack, but it's usually something homemade so it's pretty good, and my staple diet consists of fruits, vegetables, and meat. »
To say that the last seven months have been extremely difficult for you and your family would be an understatement. How difficult was it?
« Yes, the last seven months have been extremely difficult for me and those around me. I feel especially sorry for them because they had to go through such a difficult time with me, my wife in particular. Isabella has been amazing to me and I wouldn't be as strong as I am today without her. And a big thank you to my family who has always been by my side. I also have to thank my manager, Terry Rymer, for all his support »
The outpouring of support, wishes and donations has been overwhelming: What does this mean to you?
« It means everything to me. The support has been amazing and I really, really appreciate every comment from everyone, so thank you to everyone who has supported me. The donations have been incredible too (we plan to close the GoFundMe page at the end of the month), and that's why I was able to undergo rehab and my condition improved so quickly, so I will always be grateful to each and every one of you who contributed. »
What message do you have for your fans and members of the motorcycle racing community?
« My most important message is “thank you” to each person who has supported me. This really did not go unnoticed. This goes for all the fans who have reached out to me and the other top professional riders who have reached out to me »
Your teammates always refer to the role you played in FCC TSR Honda France becoming world champion in 2022. What satisfaction does that give you?
« It brings the satisfaction of becoming world champions together. I really appreciate their help and I enjoyed being teammates with them, we had some amazing moments together that allowed us to become champions. »
What memories do you have of the race week in Japan?
« Unfortunately, I don't remember much about my time in Japan. I only have flashbacks of certain places.
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Do you have feelings of anger, despair or frustration about what happened to you?
« Frustration, yes. It was an unfortunate event that had a big impact on me, with an injury that takes time to recover from. It's a frustrating injury that I have to overcome with patience. »
What are the short, medium and long term objectives?
« I want to get back to the same level as before and for me that means getting back to the front and trying to win races in EWC again. The EWC is a championship that I love and in which I think I have found my feet. Throughout my career I've been happy to be in a championship if I'm competitive and I have been in most of them, but in EWC I found a sort of home. I found a home at Honda and that's the situation I'd like to come back to. »
How realistic is the prospect of returning to the front in EWC and how optimistic are you?
« I'm optimistic about it, it just takes time to get there. But, ultimately, I think that time will come very soon because my progress has probably been better than many people thought. Even the doctors expected it to take longer. I tried my motocross and took part in a training day on a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, which surprised me and other people around me a bit. It's hard to give an exact time, but I'm looking forward to having more training days to feel more comfortable. »
You've always taken your health and fitness seriously: How has this contributed to your recovery?
« Throughout my running life I have tried to be as fit as possible and I personally think that has always benefited me. And now that I'm participating in the World Endurance Championship, it's very important. It helped me in general, but in situations like this it was my health and fitness at such a high level that helped me recover. The level I was at before was a high level of health and fitness. Obviously your body weakens when you have an accident, but you have that foundation inside of you. »
Have you thought about life outside of racing?
« I already have my own racing team and this year we will be doing Supersport in the British Superbike Championship. The team is called R4R (Ready 4 Racing) Vision Racing, and it's based on the coaching I always did before the team was created. The team has existed for three or four years. She is based in the United Kingdom. My partner on the team is Vision CPS. He was my personal sponsor. I met the owner, Elliott Mumford, when I gave a presentation at the same event and found out that he lived in North Cheam, close to my family home in Epsom, which is in Surrey, outside South West London. Her son Alfie has a rare syndrome but is a very cute and strong child, and they raise a lot of money for him and for children with special needs through the charity One Step At a Time. »
Are you planning to attend the first race of the EWC season at Le Mans?
« I'm going to Le Mans to do a parade lap and to support the TSR Honda team. I can't wait to see my teammates and see the fans. Honda France is organizing a motorcycle so that I can participate in the Tour de Parade. I don't know the specifications of the bike, it will be in TSR Honda colors, but I don't have all the details yet. It's going to be very exciting but also very emotional because I want to be at Le Mans, that's obvious. I've seen people do these Parade Laps before after coming back from similar things. I always admired what they did and now I'm the one doing it. I am very grateful that they allowed me to do this. It will be very emotional for me, because I can't believe I'll be there, and they gave me a Parade Lap. But the number of people who know that I had this accident is truly incredible, I have received messages from famous motorcycle riders. The main reason I'm so grateful to everyone who has given me support is because you realize how small the world is, and until something like this happens, it's hard to realize it. Although the world is so small, the internet is very big and news spreads quickly. I want to thank everyone and this tour will show people what their support has allowed me to accomplish. And of course I will stay for the race and support the TSR Honda team. I can't wait to see my teammates and see the fans. »
source: FIMEWC.com
Photo credit : @originalpicman
