Jonathan Rea: The six-time World Superbike Champion retires and misses the final race

Jonathan Rea’s World Superbike career ended a race earlier than planned after crashing out of the Superpole race at Jerez.

The six-time champion had planned to retire after the final event of the season in Spain.

However, an injury he suffered in Sunday morning’s Superpole Sprint race kept him out of the start of his final race.

Rea came together with Australian Remy Gardner early on the opening lap and were both taken out of the gravel on a stretcher.

A statement from the Yamaha team said the 38-year-old suffered a “right knee sprain and bruise with functional impairment” and was ruled out of his final race.

It’s a sad end to the racing career of the world’s most decorated motorcycle racer of all time.

The Northern Irish rider won six titles in a row from his first championship in 2015 until his latest victory in 2020.

He has a record 119 race wins and 264 podium finishes in his World Superbikes career.

Rea also crashed out of Saturday’s feature race in Spain, and his second crash of the weekend brought an end to his glittering career.