Six-time world champion Rea set to retire

Rea won six successive world titles between 2015 and 2020 to cement his place as World Superbikes' most successful rider

Six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea will retire from full-time motorcycle racing at the end of the 2025 season.

The Yamaha rider will pull down the curtain on his decorated career after the final round of this year's championship in Spain in October.

Northern Irishman Rea, 38, won six successive World Superbike titles between 2015 and 2020 to cement his place as the series' most successful rider of all time.

In his 459 championship races, Rea secured 264 podium finishes, with 119 race wins and 105 best race laps.

"I've been thinking of this day for a long time and finally I've decided to step away from full-time racing and retire," said Rea.

"This sport has been everything to me. From growing up as a child in Northern Ireland dreaming of racing bikes to standing on the top step of the World Superbike Championship, winning races and world championships.

"Throughout my career, I've only ever had one goal and that was to win, and that mentality defined who I was. I never raced to make up the numbers, I raced to be the best.

"But the time has come to listen to my body, my mind and most importantly my instinct. If I can't race to win, it's time to step away."

Rea has four rounds remaining in his World Superbike career. He is next in action in France from 5-7 September.

He will then race at Aragon and Estoril before his final event at Jerez from 17-19 October.

Rea first burst on to the world superbike stage with Honda in 2008, claiming his first two race wins the following year.

He switched to Kawasaki in 2015, a move which resulted in him breaking every record in the championship.

In 2017, he was recognised for achievements in the sport by being awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

He also finished runner-up in the 2017 BBC Sports Personality of the Year behind Sir Mo Farah.

"I'm incredibly proud of what I've achieved during my lengthy career: six world championships, more than 100 race wins and so many other accolades along the way," added Rea.

"These are some records that I never imagined could be possible. But it's not the records, trophies or race wins, it's the people and the memories that I'll take with me forever."

After a record-breaking nine-year partnership with Kawasaki, which yielded over a century of race wins, Rea surprisingly signed for Yamaha last season.

However, his quest for a seventh world title ended in disappointment as the Ballyclare rider posted just one podium finish with the team.

Rea endured a difficult 2024 on the bike and this year suffered a serious crash in pre-season testing which has hampered his progress.

"Jonathan is an extremely talented rider who has done remarkable things in his 17 years racing at the highest level of production racing," said Yamaha division manager Andrea Dosoli.

"He should be very proud to look back having achieved what he has during his career, as it is unlikely any rider will come close to such statistics for a long time."

Analysis - 'One of NI's greatest sporting ambassadors'

Rea joined Yamaha ahead of the 2024 season after nine years with Kawasaki

When I first met Jonathan Rea, he was just eight years old. He told me: "Watch out for the Rea name. Racing is in our family's blood and I am going to be a world champion."

That may well have been the starry aspiration of youth, but 20 years later Jonathan's dream became a reality - and the memory of that day has endured.

Inspired by Northern Ireland's five-time world champion Joey Dunlop, Rea managed to secure one more than his hero.

His run of six successive world titles make him the country's most successful motorcycle rider, and his partnership with the Kawasaki team is arguably one of the greatest in motorsport history.

On track, Rea - who was also crowned Irish motorcyclist of the year nine times in a row - has always been an extremely fierce and driven competitor. Off it, he is one of the most grounded, humble and articulate sportsmen I have ever met.

Throughout his career, he has granted BBC Sport NI unprecedented access into his life - I feel very fortunate to have been given a front row seat to his remarkable journey.

In the future, he will certainly be much sought after as a test rider and we may even see him undertake some endurance racing.

But when he hangs up his competitive leathers, he will do so as one of Northern Ireland's greatest sporting ambassadors.