Rea Returns from Injury for Aragon WorldSBK

Pata Prometeon Yamaha welcomes back Jonathan Rea to the team for the upcoming Aragon WorldSBK round from 27-29 September, as the Northern Irish rider returns from injury to pilot his #65 Yamaha R1 WorldSBK.

Rea was forced to withdraw from the Magny-Cours event in France two weeks ago with a deep laceration to his right-hand thumb, and underwent emergency in Clermont-Ferrand that Saturday evening to repair tendon damage and prepare a skin graft to the injury. He has since focused on recovery at home, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions and physiotherapy to assist healing.

Aragon is the circuit at which Rea has scored his highest number of podiums – 26 – an all-time WorldSBK record and nine wins, despite only starting from pole four times.

The six-time FIM WorldSBK Champion will be officially reviewed by the FIM WorldSBK Medical Director on Thursday, but is confident in his return to the premier class this weekend.

Jonathan Rea

“It’s been a tough couple of weeks at home working on my recovery, and I’ve done everything possible to be in a position to return to my R1 and the team at the earliest possible time. I’m not 100% recovered but I feel ready to come back, even if I’m still working with my physio to improve the mobility of my thumb. The injury to the tendon was the biggest issue, which was repaired by my surgeon in France, and the top of the thumb is healing quite well after the skin graft. It’s step-by-step, it was always my target to be back for Aragon, but I’m disappointed to have missed Cremona because it was the first race I’ve missed through injury since 2013. Huge thanks to Pata Prometeon Yamaha, the team and crew, all the team’s partners and my personal sponsors for standing by us in this tough period. Whatever my fitness level, I’m looking forward to Aragon – it’s a track that I enjoy and I’ve had success at in the past. It’s been resurfaced, so we will have to understand the tyre performance and consumption, and work towards the best set-up for the race. Yamaha has also launched the 2025 model R1 which has some updates – so on Friday morning, I will get to try the new aero package and most of all, I’m looking forward to getting back to my racing family. Even being away for one race is really tough, and as much as I was happy for Nico to replace me, not being there is difficult. We’re all working to come back stronger, and we’ll give it everything we can!”