WORLDSBK CHAMPION JONATHAN REA
P162
INTERVIEW
in the form of fan and media
interest on Jonathan Rea. Can
he win again in '18? And could
he, in the right situation, be
a challenger in the Formula
1-esque world of MotoGP? Both
good questions deserving of
answers.
"MotoGP is nice and has the
bright lights and all that, but you
have to go there with a good
team and a good bike. I mean
I was winning 50cc motocross
races when I was six years-old
and I have no interest to go
to MotoGP and to struggle on
non-competitive machinery or
just to be there and park my
motorhome in that paddock and
say that I'm a MotoGP guy. I feel
like I deserve my chance at a
factory bike. Even if it doesn't
happen I won't lose sleep over
it because I'm really enjoying
life here. I think superbike right
now is in a fun transition period.
I know if I went MotoGP with
the right bike, I could do a really
good job and show my full po-
tential. Time will tell. We'll see.
Of course, the MotoGP people
always have their eye on me
and my manager has his finger
on the pulse, as well. I've always
had opportunities in the past,
but never with a team with a
good machine and factory sup-
port. Like I said, I'm really not
interested to go there and just
make up the numbers. I want
to go there with a good bike,
which I feel I deserve. If I did, I
feel that I could do a good job."
No matter what plays out in
the immediate and near future
for Jonathan Rea, there are
two records he would like to
try and topple—both belonging
to, arguably, the best and most
prolific World Superbike racer
of all time. Rea with three world
titles and 52 career wins, is one
title and seven wins away from
matching the records of the
great Carl Fogarty.
"Foggy is a good friend and
he's left me messages and has
told me he really respects what
I'm doing and that's nice be-
cause he's one of the greatest
and he's the superbike GOAT,
if you like," says Rea. "What he
has said means a lot to me. It's
been very nice to be mentioned
alongside him and I'd be thrilled
to match his records." CN
