Jonathan Rea, from Suzuka to Donington: Honda needs him in Superbike as well

The six-time WorldSBK champion and fresh winner of the Suzuka 8 Hours will be on the grid at the next round in England: the HRC team hopes to make progress.

Although he retired as a full-time rider in 2025, Jonathan Rea had no intention of leaving the world of motorcycle racing. With Honda he signed a contract that included both a tester role and the possibility to race as a wild card or substitute in the Superbike World Championship. Also included in the “package” was participation in the Suzuka 8 Hours, the prestigious Endurance World Championship round held last weekend, which saw the HRC team triumph.

Teamed with Takumi Takahashi, with Somkiat Chantra left to watch during the race, the six-time SBK champion claimed victory at Suzuka for the third time in his career. He had already won with Honda in 2012, while the second triumph came aboard Kawasaki in 2019. He was particularly keen to return to the 8 Hours in the EWC, and the final success is certainly a great rush of adrenaline and happiness, especially considering that the last years of his career have not been easy for him, with two seasons at Yamaha well below expectations, physical woes, and a bitter retirement without being able to race in Race 2 at Jerez due to a serious injury.

While the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is flying in the Endurance World Championship, the same cannot be said in WorldSBK. The 2026 results are disastrous; in hindsight, betting on two rookies like Jake Dixon and Somkiat Chantra was probably not the ideal choice, aside from the physical problems that affected both.

The next SBK round will take place at Donington Park on the weekend of July 10–12, and Jonathan Rea will also be on the starting grid, called up by HRC as a wild card. His presence will serve to push forward the bike’s development work, trying new solutions that can help the factory riders and the overall growth of the technical project.

There had already been a test at Donington Park with Rea, Dixon, and Chantra in the spotlight on June 23. On that occasion, the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK pairing of Oliveira and Petrucci also lapped the British track. The work done will be useful for the race round.

Rea’s experience is very important for Honda, but he alone cannot work miracles. Everyone needs to make a step forward to make the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP more competitive. The potential is certainly higher than what we’ve seen in the 2026 season, and Dixon’s return could be an important asset, given that the former Moto2 rider has hardly raced this year. The hope is that his physical issues are behind him and that from Donington his Superbike journey with the HRC team can truly begin.

It remains to be seen what choices will be made with a view to 2027. The current riders are under observation, but it’s normal to look around and assess better options for the future. Honda doesn’t lack financial resources, but it must also put a solid technical project on the table.

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