Injury-hit Jonathan Rea will make his comeback this weekend at Aragon in Spain for the tenth round of the World Superbike Championship.
The Pata Prometeon Yamaha rider says he is not yet fully recovered from a deep laceration he sustained to his right thumb in a crash almost three weeks ago at Magny-Cours in France.
Rea underwent an operation hours after the incident to repair tendon damage and prepare a skin graft to the injury before flying home to Northern Ireland after withdrawing from the remainder of the French round.
The 37-year-old missed last weekend’s Italian round at Cremona in Italy, a new venue on the World Superbike calendar this year, but is set to be reunited with his factory Yamaha in free practice tomorrow at Aragon.
Rea has been undertaking hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions and physiotherapy to speed up his return and is due to be reviewed by the FIM World Superbike Medical Director today.
The 119-time race winner is currently 12th in the championship after enduring a difficult first season as a Yamaha rider since his switch from Kawasaki.
Rea, who achieved his sole podium result this year on the Yamaha with third in the Superpole race at Donington Park, said he had been through a ‘tough’ period since his crash on September 7.
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks at home working on my recovery, and I’ve done everything possible to be in a position to return to my R1 and the team at the earliest possible time,” said Rea.
“I’m not 100 per cent recovered but I feel ready to come back, even if I’m still working with my physio to improve the mobility of my thumb.
“The injury to the tendon was the biggest issue, which was repaired by my surgeon in France, and the top of the thumb is healing quite well after the skin graft.
“It’s step-by-step. It was always my target to be back for Aragon, but I’m disappointed to have missed Cremona because it was the first race I’ve missed through injury since 2013.
“Huge thanks to Pata Prometeon Yamaha, the team and crew, all the team’s partners and my personal sponsors for standing by us in this tough period.”
Rea has won nine times at Motorland Aragon and has claimed a record 26 podiums at the Spanish circuit, and the Ballyclare man is relishing the chance to race again despite his injury.
“Whatever my fitness level, I’m looking forward to Aragon – it’s a track that I enjoy and I’ve had success at in the past,” he said.
“It’s been resurfaced, so we will have to understand the tyre performance and consumption and work towards the best set-up for the race.
“Yamaha has also launched the 2025 model R1 which has some updates – so on Friday morning I will get to try the new aero package and most of all, I’m looking forward to getting back to my racing family.
“We’re all working to come back stronger and we’ll give it everything we can.”
Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu was also ruled out of Cremona through injury after crashing at Magny-Cours.
The Turkish rider’s title lead has been cut to 13 points by Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega with three rounds to go.
A decision over whether Razgatlioglu will also return this weekend is expected on Thursday.