Superbike is experiencing a particularly spectacular championship this year, disputed point by point between the ‘Cannibal’ of recent years, Jonathan Rea, and the young Yamaha talent Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, who could really succeed in the incredible feat of breaking the streak of six consecutive titles won by the Briton on his Kawasaki. The challenge between the two is holding all motorcycling enthusiasts, including MotoGP riders, with bated breath. Among these also Valentino Rossi, who recently revealed that he is closely following the contest for the title of the production derivatives.
Rossi, however, also intervened on Rea’s failure to land in the past premier class of the World Championship. A possible transfer that has often been talked about over the years, but which has never become a reality, except for two races held by the Northern Irishman with Honda HRC in 2012 to replace Casey Stoner. Rea in those two occasions obtained a seventh and an eighth place, results that are anything but despicable at the first approach with such a particular and complex category. In the end, however, those remained the only two races run by Rea in the top-class in his career. A “sin”, as Rossi himself wanted to point out.
Words, those of the Doctor, which were particularly appreciated by the # 1 of Kawasaki. “Receiving this words from Valentino is really nice because he is the greatest of all time in motorcycling and we have a lot of respect for each other. Sometimes he texts me after a race or vice versa – said Rea, interviewed by the site Autosport.com – I am a huge fan of him and of what he has done in his career. Of course it’s a shame because I never got the chance [di correre in MotoGP a tempo pieno]. I had the chance to do two wildcards in 2012, I was seventh and eighth. So not bad – joked the ‘Cannibal’ – but that’s how it went. I’ve had some tough times in my career with my previous team [Ten Kate Honda], some great moments and other difficult moments. When I joined Kawasaki I was super happy. Life has been really beautiful with me, I have won a lot. The only question mark I have to ask myself is ‘what could I have done in MotoGP?’ Because I do not know. But I can’t have any regrets “.