FIRST LOOK: Jonathan Rea on a Yamaha

Jonathan Rea has been pictured on a Yamaha for the first time.

30 Oct 2023

The six-time WorldSBK champion will swap Kawasaki - the team he is synonoymous with representing - for Yamaha for the 2024 season.

A day after the 2023 final round in Jerez, where Rea rode his last race for Kawasaki, he has been presented with the #65 Yamaha R1 WorldSBK.

Rea will test his new machine on Tuesday and Wednesday in Jerez.

We promise this will be the one and only time we use #2024StartsNow Welcome to the #YamahaFamily @jonathanrea pic.twitter.com/f4dzYnr3T8
— Yamaha Racing (@yamaharacingcom) October 30, 2023

He had reflected on his time with Kawasaki: “It’s been an incredible partnership.

"I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join the team and on track or off track, they’ve been fantastic.

“They have had my back in tougher moments and supported me in the great days, so the consecutive winning might continue in the future but it was like living a dream for six years and going to work, risking our life, putting everything on the line but it was fun.

“It was fun with these people with a great manufacturer and I wish them all the best in the future with the effort and attention that they put in.”