Honda SBK crisis, Jonathan Rea can't work miracles: "We're missing a reference point"

The CBR1000RR-Rs are miles off the pace in the Assen standings; not even a champion like Rea can go beyond the bike’s limits: Honda needs to pick up the pace.

A negative start to the 2026 Superbike season for Honda, which, between injuries and disappointing results, is getting less than expected. As in Portimão, Jonathan Rea is also in Assen to replace Jake Dixon, who should return at the next round at Balaton Park. The six-time world champion isn’t managing to make the difference with the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP; he hasn’t logged enough mileage and needs time to be more impactful in development. Moreover, HRC needs to do its part in responding to his technical feedback.

In the SBK free practice at Assen the situation was rather bleak: JR65 did no better than nineteenth, just behind wild card Twan Smits and 1.437s off leader Nicolò Bulega. The top 10 was 652 thousandths away. Somkiat Chantra did worse, twenty-first (third from last), 1.556s off the top. The former MotoGP Thai rider is a rookie and suffered an injury before winter testing; he only returned in Portimão and is struggling a lot to adapt to the bike and the category.

Rea is trying to contribute to Honda’s growth in Superbike, but the current situation isn’t simple: "What’s certain is that we have a lot of work to do," he told Speedweek. "We received many new electronic components and started from zero over the winter. I see the resources and the commitment; I sense the ambition. They want to move forward, and for that the base of the bike needs to improve. I expect more, but despite their efforts, they still haven’t reached the front. That’s why Honda is investing so much in the development program now. I did some tests in Portimão last week and I’ll be doing them again the day after tomorrow: we’re working hard. But it’s up to Honda and HRC to define the direction."

The 39-year-old Northern Irishman is putting all his experience and desire to help at HRC’s disposal. It certainly hurt to have winter tests hampered by bad weather and to lose the factory riders to injuries. JR65, who at the beginning of the year was still suffering from the injury sustained at the Jerez round at the end of the 2025 season, can’t work miracles. As he racks up more miles on the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, he’s trying to provide useful feedback, but then it’s up to Honda to work on the necessary solutions to boost competitiveness. One flaw of the bike is the lack of rear grip, already flagged in the past by Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge.

Speaking of Lecuona and Vierge, Rea hints that perhaps keeping at least one of the two would have been better for the bike’s development: "It was strange that Honda lost both riders after last season," he explains. "We’re missing a benchmark now. How do we know if the races so far went well or badly? If Xavi or Iker were still here, they might tell me to stay home and drink more beer. Or we’d realize that we need to work more intensively on the 2026 bike with this electronics. To get to where Ducati is today, we have to catch up. But until we do, where do you think the others will be?"

While HRC looks for its path, the competition moves forward and the gap can grow even larger. The six-time Superbike world champion is trying to be a leader and drive the project’s growth, but at the same time the absence of another benchmark in the garage is being felt. Betting on two rookies like Dixon and Chantra was a big risk; so far it hasn’t paid off. Perhaps it would have been better to choose at least one rider with SBK experience. It’s no secret there was an attempt to sign Toprak Razgatlioglu which ultimately didn’t materialize.