World Superbikes: End of an era as Jonathan Rea prepares for Kawasaki farewell

Jonathan Rea (#1) and Alvaro Bautista (#19) had some titanic battles in 2019

It is the end of an era in the World Superbike Championship as Jonathan Rea waves goodbye to his history-making partnership with Kawasaki.

The Northern Irish rider, who dominated the sport for so long, will make the switch to Yamaha for 2024 in a bid to get back to the top of the tree.

But with six titles, 104 wins and 220 podiums, the final round at Jerez marks the end of one of motorsport's most dominant combinations.

Rea, 36, admits it is "a strange feeling" heading to Spain for the final time in the famous green of Kawasaki.

"I am sure it is going to be an emotional weekend together with the staff. On track we will try to do the best job we can," he said.

"I really want to finish the year strongly for my team. We are still fighting for third place in the championship.

"The big target of the weekend is to enjoy riding the bike and do the best job we can but also to ensure we deliver that top three in the championship.

"I want to really try to enjoy the weekend with my team. All the build up to the weekend, all the weekend, and of course post-race, reflecting on what an amazing partnership it has been - I am sure it is going to be an emotional one.

"I hope I can give a good account of myself and do the team proud."

How Rea and Kawasaki made history

Jonathan Rea dominated team-mate Tom Sykes in their four seasons together at Kawasaki

Together, Rea and Kawasaki history ripped up World Superbikes' record books and put together a partnership that batted away everything in its path for six seasons.

After some impressive performances on a Honda, everyone was aware of Rea's potential but few could have predicted how it would have turned out when he made the switch to KRT in 2015.

His team-mate at the time was Tom Sykes, a feared competitor who was the reigning champion. Rea set out his stall and won his first race with the team at Phillip Island ahead of Sykes.

Come the end of the fourth round of the season in Assen, Rea had six wins and two second places from the eight races. Sykes, on the other hand, could only muster two third places. The marker had been laid down.

The consistency of Ducati's Chaz Davies kept him in the hunt, and although Sykes improved, the damage was done. Rea wrapped up the title with two rounds to spare with 23 podiums from the 26 races - with 14 of those being wins.

England's Sykes is a champion for a reason, and he hit back the following year but Rea's early season form again proved to be the difference as the Northern Irishman won his second title.

Their partnership remained for 2017, but Rea was unstoppable, winning seven of the first eight races and finishing second in the other. It was one of his most dominant campaigns, with 24 podiums in 26 races and 16 of them were wins.

In 2018, Rea managed 17 wins in 25 races, and he was only off the podium three times all year. He ended the season with 11 straight wins for good measure. Championship number four was in the bag.

The new season brought a new format, with Superpole sprint races introduced alongside the two feature races. That wasn't the only new challenge, as Ducati and Alvaro Bautista brought Rea's biggest obstacle yet.

The Spaniard came flying out of the traps and won the first 11 races of the season. Rea was on the podium behind him on every occasion, but Bautista was running away with it.

But from Donington Park onwards cracks started to show. It was Rea's turn to put together a winning run, but the difference was Bautista couldn't keep pace and a string of errors and lowly finishes dropped him out of contention. With 34 podiums from 37 races, consistency was king and Rea reigned supreme.

Jonathan Rea won his sixth World Superbike title with Kawasaki in 2020

There was a new challenge for 2020 as coronavirus halted life - and subsequently any sport - as we knew it. The WSBK was no different, and despite the Australian round going ahead before the outbreak, a shortened season resumed in August.

The Ducatis of Scott Redding and Davies pushed him close, but Rea roared to his sixth title in some style.

Rising star Toprak Razgatlioglu put in some giant-killing performances, including three podiums in at the final round of 2020 and it was a sign of things to come the following year.

Rea made his usual, strong start to the season but Razgatlioglu's Yamaha's was managing to keep the pace. The pair dominated the season, winning 26 of the 37 races between them, but unlike previous years, Rea had to settle for second.

In 2022, there was a new (well, returning) sheriff in town as Bautista re-joined Ducati and made amends for his failed attempts in 2019.

This time the Spaniard finished the job, with Razgatlioglu second and Rea third - his lowest championship position since 2014 when he was with Honda.

It was a similar tale in 2023, with Kawasaki falling further back and Rea even struggling to get on the podium for the first half of the year.

He found his consistency from Donington Park onwards, but again, bar one victory in the Czech Republic, it was the third step on the rostrum behind Bautista and Razgatlioglu.

The announcement came in September that Rea would leave his long-term home for Yamaha, and now both parties will want to end their time together on a high at Jerez.