Jonathan Rea gets points on the board for first time since injury but says: ‘It's noting to get excited about'

Belfast Telegraph

17-05-2025

The 38-year-old missed the first three rounds of 2025 in Australia, Portugal and the Netherlands after fracturing bones in his left foot when he crashed at the final winter test in Australia in February, days before the season opener.
Rea made his return at Cremona in Italy at the beginning of May but was outside the points as he finished 19th, 16th and 18th.
However, he pocketed his first points in yesterday's opening race of the weekend at round five of the championship at Most, finishing 10th after qualifying 14th on the Pata Maxus Yamaha.
Rea finished 22.6s behind reigning champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad), who won the race by six seconds from championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Ducati) to close the gap to 29 points ahead of today's Superpole race and Race Two.
'My first points of the year,' said Rea, whose team-mate Andrea Locatelli was ruled out after he was caught up in a collision with Alvaro Bautista and Michael van der Mark on the first lap.
'The beginning of the race was amazing, I had a great start and first corner and everything opened up for me.
'I found myself with a really good track position, and from there step-by-step tried to do my race rhythm.
'Unfortunately, I couldn't fend off the attacks from a few riders, but when they got past me I was able to see them as a reference and understand my pace to go away from the guys behind and maintain my position.
'Tenth place is nothing to be excited about, but it's a start.'
Rea is building confidence step-by-step and the record 119-time race winner feels it won't be long before he is back at the sharp end.
'I've come from missing three rounds of the season and a difficult first weekend back in Cremona, but physically here I've felt a lot better,' said Rea, who struggled to 13th in last year's championship in his first season as a Yamaha rider after a long and successful association with Kawasaki.
'I just need to find some overall performance and we should be in the mix a bit more.'
Italian Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Ducati) took the final rostrum spot ahead of England's Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team).
Bulega's Ducati team-mate Alvaro Bautista battled his way back from 16th to finish a fighting fifth after losing time when he was involved in the incident with Locatelli and van der Mark.
The Superpole race on Sunday is scheduled for 10:00 BST with the final race at 13:00 BST.
In the British Superbike Championship, Carrickfergus man Glenn Irwin finished fourth in the first race on Saturday at Donington Park.
The Hager PBM Ducati rider was in the fight for a top-three finish but began to lose ground on the final laps and fell into the clutch of Australian Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda), who snatched the last podium place in third.
Former champion Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) won by almost two seconds from reigning champion Kyle Ryde (OMG Nitrous Competitions Yamaha).
Andrew Irwin finished eighth. His Honda Racing team-mate, Tommy Bridewell, crashed out heavily at Coppice but was up on his feet afterwards.
BSB newcomer Scott Swann (Send my Bag/IWR Honda) finished 12th.
In the Supersport Sprint race, Rhys Irwin from Donegal was on the podium in third on the Performance 15 Suzuki, one place ahead of champion Jack Kennedy (Honda Racing).
Eugene McManus from Randalstown was fifth on the MMB Ducati while Lee Johnston (Sencat by Swan Racing Triumph) finished 12th.
The BSB races at the second round today are due to take place at 1:15pm and 4:20pm.
A memorial silence was observed yesterday at Donington in honour of young Englishman Owen Jenner and Shane Richardson from New Zealand, who tragically lost their lives after they were involved in an 11-rider pile-up in the Supersport race at Oulton Park on Bank Holiday Monday.