WSB Rider of the Year: 1st - Jonathan Rea

After another epic season of racing, MCN’s sports team of Michael Guy (Sports Editor), Simon Patterson (MotoGP Reporter) and Oli Rushby (Superbike Reporter) sat down to discuss who impressed them the most in each race series we cover to establish MCN’s top five riders in each category. Here’s World Superbikes…

1^st – Jonathan Rea

What Jonathan Rea achieved this year speaks for itself. Winning a world championship is no easy feat, but to win three in a row takes that to another level.

Another level which has never been reached before. While three titles is a figure reached by Troy Bayliss and Carl Fogarty went on to win four, neither of them managed three in succession earning Jonathan his place in the history books.

He also made history by breaking Colin Edwards’ 15-year-old record for scoring the most points in a single season. He really was unstoppable.

And while many will remember his sheer dominance in the second half of the season, it should also be remembered that he had a fight on his hands from Chaz Davies and Tom Sykes earlier in the year with close fought battles in Phillip Island, Aragon, Assen, Donington and Misano to name but a few.

16 victories and 24 podiums out of 26 races shows just what a year it was for Rea and one out of only two DNFs was down to circumstances outside his control.

It was a great year for Rea off the track too as he was awarded an MBE by Prince William for services to motorcycle racing and finished second in the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award. 

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