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The king has decided to remain in his castle and win other battles. This might sound slightly metaphorical, but it may represent Jonathan Rea's decision to stay in Kawasaki for the next few seasons. A decision that turns off some market rumors relating to the future of the five-time Superbike champion who has decided to swear eternal love to the team that allowed him to enter the Olympus of the derivatives.
“When I signed my first contract with Kawasaki, I didn't think we would have reached this point," Rea explained in an interview with Worldsbk.com. "But, after the first few days on the track, I knew that I had joined a family. It was a dream come true, both because of the alchemy created and because of the many successes we achieved together."
As was said in recent weeks, the continuation of the love story between the team from Akashi and Rea didn't seem so predictable, but the guy from Ballymena explained how the negotiations progressed, and he didn't deny having received other offers.
“It was a gradual process, based on the fact that Kawasaki is aware of the growth we've had together, under many aspects. Year after year, we've faced more arduous challenges and having already planned the future will allow us to focus more on 2020. And other offers? My manager has been busy these past few weeks but, in the end, we agreed that staying with Kawasaki was the best thing. The story isn't over, and I can't wait to add a new chapter."
Now the question arises: how long will Rea keep racing? Hard to say for sure, but he feels that the day of his retirement is still far away.
“Entering the garage and getting out on the track are the activities that give me the greatest emotion, so I want to continue as long as this is the case. Physically and mentally, I'm fine, so I want to continue until I have fun."
So, for now, they're only thinking about this season, where the goal remains the same.
“The goal remains the same, that is, to always be competitive and win. I know it won't be easy to do better than the previous seasons, but that's also why I always try to improve and improve the bike. The presence of many bikes and high-level riders stimulates me. It's also nice for the championship. I can't wait to get back on track."
