Sykes And Rea Hold The Advantage In Early Jerez Sessions

Davies is back in action in Jerez this weekend at the Spanish round of the Superbike World Championship, with two more rounds remaining this season after that.

A top ten finish in Sunday’s opening race (9.30am BST) will see Rea realise his dream of becoming a world champion, and his father Johnny – himself an accomplished racer who won the 1989 Junior TT – said he knew from the beginning his son was destined for the top.

Ironically the race that sealed the 28-year-old’s title win also marked the first time he had finished off the podium in 21 races.

Rea first mounted the all-conquering Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R at MotorLand Aragon on 17 November 2014, supported all the way by Team Manager and former rider Guim Roda.

“There is nothing I would like better than to win the championship by standing on the top step of the podium and that is what we will spend practice and qualifying setting the Kawasaki up to do”.

“This is an fantastic moment for me in my career”, said Rea after wrapping up the title. Right now it has not sunk in.

“I thought if I could win possibly six to 10 races that would put me in championship contention”. A world champion. Strangely enough today was my worst results of the season with the two fourth place finishes and yet I manage to clinch the title.

Barring a disaster of epic proportions, Rea will secure the championship on Sunday, but his wary dad is loathe to take anything for granted and admits he will heave a sigh of relief when the weekend is over. He is chasing Doug Polen’s 1991 record of 17 race victories in one season, which now can only be equalled.

Chaz Davies has renewed his contract to stay with his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Superbike team next year.

Rea is the fifth British rider to win the crown since World Superbikes commenced in 1988 along with Carl Fogarty, James Toseland, Neil Hodgson and Yorkshireman Sykes. Sykes was wheel ideal in the early laps and it initially looked as though a repeat of race one was on the cards with the Yorkshireman streaking clear of Davies’ Ducati.

“Jonathan becomes the north’s fourth world motorcycle champion, after Joey Dunlop, Brian Reid and Ralph Bryans”.

Carrickfergus rider Glenn Irwin on the Gearlink Kawasaki finished in fifth place with Portadown’s Marshal Neill was 11th.