Yamaha admit “we expected more” from Jonathan Rea

A new Yamaha chief has admitted they “expected more” from Jonathan Rea’s debut season.

Rea ended his legendary Kawasaki stint which yielded six World Superbike Championship titles to join their rival brand a year ago.

But in 2024 on the Yamaha, Rea didn’t win or even make a single podium.

He ended the season 13th in the championship.

"It was certainly a season below expectations,” new Yamaha WSBK sporting director Niccolo Canepa told Motosprint.

“We expected more from Jonathan and many results were not in line with our hopes.

“We are working hard, and well, to get back to the positions that matter and to be consistently on the podium, as we had done in previous years, and to help Rea regain the confidence he has lost a bit.

“Already at the end of the season we saw important steps forward: there will be changes, we are working hard to try to get back up".

Rea’s Yamaha team have also come under scrutiny from their title sponsor.

The owner of Pata admitted he was “demoralised” by the struggles of last year.

And even Rea has conceded that retirement briefly entered his mind after his below-par Yamaha debut year.

But he will return for the WSBK 2025 year. He will be 38 years old next month.