After 17 years full of records and thrilling duels: Six-time Superbike World Champion Jonathan Rea announces his retirement at the end of the 2025 season
Jonathan Rea has announced that he will end his career as a full-time rider in the Superbike World Championship at the end of the 2025 season. “After an unforgettable journey in WorldSBK, I have decided to retire from full-time racing at the end of this season,” said a statement from Yamaha.
“It has been an incredible journey, full of highlights, challenges, and memories that will stay with me forever. I would like to thank Yamaha for the opportunity to write this final chapter with them and for their support over the past two years. Most of all, I am grateful to the fans, my family, and everyone who has supported me throughout my career.”
The Northern Irishman from Ballymena, born in 1987, has competed in 459 races in 17 years. With 119 wins, 264 podium finishes, 44 pole positions, 104 fastest laps, and six consecutive world championship titles between 2015 and 2019, Rea is the most successful rider in WorldSBK history.
After a decade with Kawasaki, he sought a new challenge with Yamaha at the start of the 2024 season. However, despite individual highlights – including a rain pole at Assen and third place in the Superpole race at Donington – the first two years proved more difficult than hoped for due to injuries and bad luck.
Yamaha also pays tribute to Rea’s career and highlights his exceptional professionalism. Motorsport Director Andrea Dosoli explains: “Jonathan is an extremely talented rider who has achieved remarkable things in his 17 years at the highest level. He should be very proud of his career. It is unlikely that any rider will match such statistics in the foreseeable future.”
“For many years, Jonathan was a tough competitor for us, challenging us and making us better. In the last two years, he was no longer our rival, but our rider. Even though this period did not go as we had hoped, Jonathan remained committed and dedicated to the project.”
With his retirement, Rea closes a chapter that has shaped the Superbike World Championship for years. His legacy remains unforgettable, not only in terms of numbers and records, but above all in the memory of countless thrilling wheel-to-wheel duels and his tireless fighting spirit. He will compete with Yamaha for four more weekends.