Rea wins third successive WorldSBK title
Gets the job done at Magny-CoursKawasaki's Jonathan Rea charged to victory at the Magny-Cours circuit in France on Saturday, September 30 to create history and become the first rider to secure three consecutive WorldSBK titles since the production bike championship began in 1988.
Thirty-year-old Rea, who hails from Northern Ireland, was supreme from start to finish aboard his Ninja ZX-10RR, crossing the line a massive 16 seconds ahead of Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati), with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) finishing third.
Rea's impressive performance delivered his 12th victory of the 21 races to date – a better than 50 per cent win rate for 2017 – and his 50th win in WorldSBK.
The victory left him with an unassailable lead with five races still to go in the championship – one at Magny-Cours at two apiece in Spain (October 21-22) and Qatar (November 3-4).
“I have no words right now,” said Rea after being crowned.
“I have sacrificed so much of my life, as have my parents and everyone involved in helping me get to this level. To win it, the championship, the first time, the second time and then go three times in a row, I cannot compute my feelings right now.
“My thanks to every single member of the team and everyone from Kawasaki back in Japan. Most of all I want my thank my wife and kids who sacrifice so much.”
Magny-Cours fans also saw a truly gritty ride from Rea’s teammate Sykes as the Yorkshireman returned to action with a third place result, having had surgery on a finger injury less than two weeks ago, after his last round crash in Portimao. Sykes completed the podium after just losing out on second place to Melandri in the final stages of the race.
Five seconds off the rostrum was Leon Camier for MV Agusta Reparto Corse, with Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) another 19 seconds back rounding out the top five.
Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Leandro Mercado (Ioda Racing Aprilia) were sixth and seventh respectively, while Davide Giugliano (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) was the eighth rider home
Early in the race there was a crash for Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), which also saw Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) go down, but remarkably Dutchman Van der Mark fought back to finish ninth, ahead of Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati). Australia’s Anthony West was 18th aboard the Puccetti Kawasaki.
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