Jonathan Rea, Yamaha, Honda... Superbike news in brief

With internal changes at Yamaha and a clearer vision for the season ahead, Jonathan Rea is gearing up for a defining 2025 season. But he's not alone in his ambitions, and he knows it. Honda, which is integrating into the WSSP in a different way, remains in ambush. Let's take a look at the WSBK, WSSP and, cock-a-doodle-doo, the FSBK!

Give the microphone to Jonathan Rea (WorldSBK)!

Official Yamaha rider Jonathan Rea is not known for mincing his words, and his recent statements are no exception. After a difficult 2024 season, Rea was upbeat during testing in Jerez, where he finished 3ᵉ, just 97 thousandths behind leader Alex Lowes. He hailed the progress made on his Yamaha R1, particularly in areas where he had previously struggled.

This renewed confidence is also fuelled by the arrival of Oriol Pallares, the new team leader, whom he knows well from his time with Kawasaki. Rea expressed the importance of working with someone who understands him perfectly to get the best out of himself: "I have no doubts about my abilities, but I need people who can push me to develop the bike."

Dorna and Ducati target British rider

While the situation seems more favorable on Yamaha's side, Rea didn't hesitate to express his concerns about competitiveness in WSBK, particularly vis-à-vis Ducati. He sharply criticized the cost gap between bikes, pointing to the inequality created by machines costing 44,000 euros being measured against 20,000-euro models. Rea stressed the need for Dorna to find a solution to restore fairness between teams.

In this vein, Rea also reacted to Álvaro Bautista's 7kg weight penalty for 2025 on his Ducati Panigale V4R, arguing that this measure would not hinder Bautista's and Ducati's performance. In his opinion, Bautista's physical condition and the technical power of the model will enable them to remain competitive despite this handicap.

Bautista-Rea-World-Superbike-pilotes Jonathan Rea (r.) feels he has been partly wronged by Bautista (l.) and his gang. WSBK

Earlier in the year, Rea spoke of his thoughts on the overall situation in WSBK, criticizing the championship's position vis-à-vis MotoGP. He believes that Superbike is often perceived as a "minor championship" compared to MotoGP, which is detrimental to the discipline's visibility and complicates its promotion.

Honda in 2025: what's at stake for the brand?

It's no secret that Honda is going through a difficult period in World Superbike (WSBK), where results are still not living up to expectations. Although the factory team has been present since 2019, performances remain below ambitions. Honda's best result of the 2024 season was a 4ᵉ place for Iker Lecuona, but victory still remains a distant goal. However, some see this challenge as an opportunity to bounce back, following the example of Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, who, after a difficult start with BMW, has proved that determination and the right strategy can lead to victory.

With this dynamic in mind, Honda is betting on a revival in 2025 with a change of strategic direction. Having long struggled to compete with giants such as Ducati, Honda seems intent on reinventing itself, particularly with its WorldSSP program.

Honda France's arrival in WorldSSP made official!

Yes, at the same time, Honda France has made its return to World Supersport (WSSP) official, with Corentin Perolari and Ana Carrasco as riders (main photo). This ambitious program aims for regular top-10 finishes, thanks to increased support from HRC and Honda Europe.

Yamaha Challenge 700: the FSBK's new breeding ground

The French Superbike Championship (FSBK) welcomes a major innovation in 2025 with the Yamaha Challenge 700, a single-model class based on the Yamaha R7 (below). Designed to replace the SSP300, deemed too costly, this new accelerated formula offers a budget of around €25,000 per season, bike and expenses included.

Open to riders aged 15 and over, the Yamaha Challenge 700 includes three classifications: Scratch (general classification), Espoir (15-19 years) and Feminine. The Scratch winner will receive a Yamaha R9 and Michelin tires, while the Espoir and Female podium finishers will be rewarded with Yamaha accessories.