Yamaha admit doubt over Jonathan Rea in Cremona after “emergency surgery”
Yamaha WorldSBK boss Paul Denning admits it will be a 'tough challenge' for Jonathan Rea to return to full fitness in time for Round 9 at Cremona
Jonathan Rea is facing a race against time to return to full fitness ahead of Round 9 of the 2024 WorldSBK Championship at Cremona following his accident at Magny-Cours, according to his Pata Prometeon Yamaha team.
The six-time WorldSBK Champion sustained an injury to his right thumb after slipping off in damp conditions at the final corner chicane on lap one of the first race in France over the weekend.
Forced to miss the remainder of the event, Rea was hospitalised in Clemont-Ferrand, where he underwent treatment to repair a deep abrasion and tendon damage to his right thumb.
It was an injury that rather typifies what has been a tough first campaign with Yamaha for the WorldSBK record-holder, Rea now classified 11th in the overall standings with four rounds remaining.
Looking ahead to the next round in Cremona on 20-22 September, Pata Prometeon Yamaha’s boss Paul Denning admits Rea will face a challenge in getting back to full fitness in time for WorldSBK’s first visit to the Italian venue.
“We obviously hope that Jonathan is going to be able to ride in Cremona – it could be a really tough challenge, but whatever the case we are focused on regrouping and doing our best to perform a lot better at Yamaha’s Italian home race.”
Rea’s injury compounded a tough weekend as a whole for Yamaha in France with his team-mate Andrea Locatelli unable to score a better result than eighth place over the three races. In the end, Yamaha’s best finish came courtesy of Remy Gardner on the GYTR GRT R1 with his run to sixth in Race 2.
“Magny-Cours has been the toughest of tough weekends. Race 1 yesterday, with the changeable track conditions, offered a clear opportunity for both JR and Loka to fight for the podium – but JR’s Lap 1 crash and resulting injury put him out for this weekend, meaning that all opportunities were gone.
“For Loka, getting caught out by the rain shower when he was closing in on the lead yesterday, being punted out of podium contention by Petrucci in Turn 5 in the Superpole Race and then a really difficult Race 2 capped off one of “those” weekends.”
