Yamaha admit Jonathan Rea’s World Superbike move “could not have gone worse”

Yamaha’s World Superbike team boss Paul Denning admits Jonathan Rea’s move to the squad in 2024 “could not have gone worse” but feels things are improving.

The six-time WSBK champion elected to quit Kawasaki - with whom he won all of his titles with - a year early to replace BMW-bound Toprak Razgatlioglu at Yamaha.

Rea has endured a tough year adapting to the R1 package, while technical issues and incidents have added to his woes.

After the Portimao round, Rea sits 10th in the standings with just one podium to his credit so far at Donington in the sprint race.

Denning admits things have not gone to plan given the hype around Rea’s move, but feels “we’re getting there” now.

“With JR, there’s been a lot of hope, expectation and excitement that a six-time world champion ends his agreement early in order to come over to Yamaha and there’s no hiding from the fact that it could not have gone worse,” Denning told WorldSBK.com.

“There’s been some technical problems and accidents and a list of issues that have restricted his performance.

“We feel that we’re coming out of that now and we’re seeing a rider who is enjoying riding the bike.

“He’s starting to understand how to get the best out of the R1 and the team are understanding what he needs.

“The Superpole race podium at Donington Park was a great performance but Most was a disappointment after the Superpole crash and then having to come back through from P15.

“Even then though, in Race 2, there were a lot of signs of determination to come through and make great passes on what is a tricky track to pass on and to get in the top six.”

Denning notes that Rea’s determination to get his troubled Yamaha into the points in the first race at Portimao despite technical issues shows “a lot of respect” for the bike and the project.

“Unfortunately, we had a problem in Race 1 at Portimao from one of our strongest positions of the year in a main race,” he said.

“But again, the fact he didn’t pull in, he kept riding and scored a point, there’s a lot of respect that he’s showing to the bike and the team and the efforts everyone’s making.

“That respect is reciprocated massively. I don’t think we’ve yet seen Jonathan in his full element and that’s a match needed in terms of confidence, technical setting and the ability to get the most out of a package that is still relatively new to him.

“We’re getting there and looking forward to the second half of the year.”