What will come to an end at Phillip Island is the most difficult season Jonathan Rea has had to face since his time at Kawasaki. After breaking all the records in World Superbike and becoming the most successful rider in the history of the championship, last year Jonny found himself having to deal with the great talent of Toprak Razgatlioglu, who was joined this year by a great Alvaro Bautista, the only one with the experience and skill to exploit the full potential of the best of the superbikes: the Ducati Panigale V4. 
As well as being a champion, Rea is a very intelligent man, and it is always interesting to discuss hot topics with him, such as the possible weight limit for riders, or the depowering that first affected his Ninja and now many would like to see (again) affect the Panigale V4. 
His career is inextricably linked with Kawasaki, and although no technical news has come (at least for now) from Akashi to improve his ZX-10RR, Jonny is happy to have signed another contract with the Japanese manufacturer. When we asked him what his bike would need to compete on an equal footing with Yamaha and especially Ducati, his answer was as clear as it was concise: 'I need more power. 
Contrary to what many people think (and to what some of the media have mistakenly reported) Jonny is not a 'complainer' and does not consider himself a victim of the regulations, even if reducing the engine revs of his ZX-10RR might have made sense in 2018, but it doesn't now, when it is clear that of the three bikes fighting for the title the Kawasaki is the one in the greatest difficulty. 
And finally he gives credit to Bautista. "If he wins the championship he will have deserved it, and I am only sorry that some people question his victories, tying them only to his weight or the performance of his bike." A great.