Several chapters closed at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto back in late October, but perhaps none as significant as the one concerning Jonathan Rea and the Kawasaki Racing Team. The Northern Irishman’s departure from the green team after nine seasons and six world titles marked a veritable end of an era for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. An era which is detailed and honoured in ‘Jonathan Rea: Unrepeatable’, a special long feature now available to watch here. Nine years of excellence told in detail, featuring exclusive interviews, archive footage and much more.

A JOURNEY LIKE NO OTHER

Monday, November 3rd, 2014, just a few hours removed from a particularly tempestuous season finale, Kawasaki’s PR team quietly confirmed a story that had been brewing for several months. A young Northern Irishman by the name of Jonathan Rea, with 15 WorldSBK race wins to his name, would be joining the Barcelona-based team from that winter onwards, to partner 2013 Champion and perpetual championship contender Tom Sykes. A few days later, he would already be testing with the green team.

To state that this may be, with the benefit of hindsight, the most consequential signing in the history of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship might even be an understatement. No partnership in 35 years of WorldSBK racing has achieved the level of success that Rea, Kawasaki and the Provec Racing crew have. Before 2015, no single rider had won consecutive titles in the 21^st century; Rea and KRT went on to win six. No rider had reached 60 race wins over their entire career; Rea and KRT’s tally together exceeds 100. As the competition grew tougher, the green ‘dream team’ grew stronger and even more resilient.

A LEGACY RESPECTED BY FRIENDS AND RIVALS ALIKE

The people who lived through these heights – and the inevitable lows – are ever-present throughout this documentary, with team manager Guim Roda and trusted crew chief Pere Riba amongst the key interviewees. Key title rivals also share their thoughts, from old foes like Chaz Davies to the two other members of the famous ‘Titanic Trio’, Alvaro Bautista and Toprak Razgatlioglu.

Rea’s decision to leave the squad at the end of 2023, one of “the hardest decisions” of his career, opens a new chapter for both sides of the equation. In one key moment of ‘Unrepeatable’, key personnel from both Kawasaki and Yamaha open up on the motivation and process of switching from green to blue – a heart-breaking decision for one side, an unbelievable opportunity for the other.

But the centrepiece of this feature are the words of the 6-time World Champion and WorldSBK legend himself, as he takes one final look back at a legendary period in Superbike history over multiple interviews conducted in the weeks after his departure was confirmed. The ‘Yamaha era’ may well take Rea to new heights – “the best is yet to come”, to quote the man himself – but it’s these nine era-defining seasons which have etched Team #65 and Kawasaki into the minds and hearts of Superbike fans around the world, as well as amongst themselves. Or as Rea succinctly puts it: “there will always be part of my blood that’s green”.

Watch every single one of Jonathan Rea's races with Kawasaki, and the first steps of his new challenge for 2024, on WorldSBK VideoPass.