A podium battle and a top-six end for Jonathan Rea on the French WorldSBK made it one of many Yamaha rider’s greatest rounds of the 2025 season.
The French Spherical was the primary to happen since Rea’s announcement in the course of the summer time that he could be retiring from full-time racing in World Superbike on the finish of the season.
His battle in Race 2 to complete within the top-six proved that he nonetheless has the need to compete.
“For those who thought I used to be going away quietly you’d be mistaken! I’ve that burning ardour to compete,” Jonathan Rea informed WorldSBK.com after Race 2 in France.
“After all, competing for the rostrum is sweet, it’s given us a bit little bit of combat and we could be fairly glad with our job; however I wish to combat on the entrance and after I received a sniff of that at present it was fairly good.
“However I had a motorcycle that enabled me to try this at first; till we misplaced that entrance traction I used to be capable of really feel good with the Yamaha R1.”
The optimistic lead to Race 2 got here from the Superpole Race on Sunday morning the place Rea was capable of get himself a front-three-rows beginning place.
“After I completed seventh, [it was a] nice alternative to get a great begin and see what my rhythm was actually like this weekend as a result of Superpole wasn’t nice for us – I discovered a great feeling with the bike however we weren’t capable of exploit it,” Rea mentioned.
“Discovered myself in a battle with Alex [Lowes] and Petrucci.
“I believe I simply received caught a bit bit an excessive amount of behind Danilo as a result of my tempo felt good. However, in all probability naively, I began combating with Alex for the rostrum.
“After I went via, I began to get very excited and– not making errors, however I didn’t have that rhythm.
“That really induced us to lose a while to the group behind and, when he received via, it allowed Mickey [van der Mark] and Alvaro [Bautista] to affix the group.
“So, it was a pleasant combat to the top, to be sincere.”
There was additionally satisfaction within the consequence for Rea due to the best way he rode and the way he has struggled previously with the Yamaha R1.
“P6 is admittedly optimistic for us,” he mentioned.
“To come back from the place we’ve at first of the season with harm, disappointments, robust races, however I really feel like I’m beginning to trip the bike the best way it’s requested.
“I loved the monitor right here in Magny-Cours, it didn’t begin in addition to we anticipated nevertheless it’s ending sturdy and it provides us some confidence to go to Aragon now and end the yr sturdy.”
