There was more edge-of-your seat racing from Assen this weekend, as the World Superbike Championship continued it’s stunningly unpredictable form. All three nail-bitingly close races were won by non-other than the Kawasaki riding, BBC Sports Personality of The Year short-lister Jonathan Rea. With a commanding championship lead of 37 points, the Northern Irish rider is well on his way to making it 7 titles of 7 at the end of 2021.
I’m sure the criticism that ‘JR’ receives for not pushing his racing career to the next level is like water off a duck’s back now. Because sticks and stones, and all that. Why should he care about people saying “the fact he’s only ever won with one manufacturer undermines his talent and devalues the achievement”? Because it’s not like they could do any better, is it?
And if anyone ever says “he should step up to MotoGP, since he’s so amazing,” they can just do one. Because he probably will step up, if anyone offers him a factory ride. Winning WSBK means you deserve a factory GP ride, doesn’t it? Anything else would have been an insult to him, an insult to his country and an insult to the World Superbike Championship.
Unstoppable
Now he’s riding in a championship he knows he can win, on a bike he knows he can win on, because that’s what true sportsmen do. He’s unstoppable, a born winner and his true talent is really shining through. And so what if it’s a bit dull to watch? Who cares? It’s not his problem, is it? He doesn’t race for the TV ratings (which will have inevitably taken a dive since he started winning all the time). Which is a good job, really.
The next round is at the Autrodrom Most in the Czech Republic, which is one of the only circuits Jonathan Rea hasn’t won at. That’s mainly due to the fact that it’s a new circuit for 2021, but that’s a minor detail. Kawasaki will be looking forward to seeing their star rider on the top of the podium at the new circuit. But will you?
2 responses
The racing at Assen was hardly dull!! He fought thru all 3 races to win. If JR was English do you think you would be moaning that its become boring?? Dont think so! Was Foggy boring? He’s now too old for Motogp considerations, that ship sailed, as he wasn’t offered a decent ride. Lowes and Sykes have been on the same bike as Rea but . . .
So please Boothy stop bloody whining coz Redding, Lowes, Sykes etc haven’t found a way to beat him!! Go watch bloody Motogp! or F1 or continue to watch WSBK but try to support a British rider without moaning he’s not English!
Loz, Belfast. NI
Hang on a minute? I think you’ve misunderstood me. The fact that he is Northern Irish makes no difference to me at all. To me, British is British – England, N. Ireland, Scotland Wales. We’re all one. Team GB.
And to your point about JR, F1 has, in recent years, been just as boring; for the exact same reason – a Brit kept winning. As it happened, he was English, and yes I was moaning that it became boring. So in answer to your question, yes… if JR was English, I would be moaning that it’s boring.