Jonathan Rea struggled more on his World Superbike return than he expected after several months away from racing.

For the first time since the Phillip Island World Superbike Test, Jonathan Rea was back on track with the Pata Maxus Yamaha WorldSBK Team.

The six-time World Superbike Champion fractured several metatarsal bones in his left foot in February and made his return to racing this weekend at the Cremona Circuit.

Rea's results at his comeback round were nothing to write home about, but it was a good starting point for the 38-year-old.

"It’s been a tougher weekend than I expected, but I knew we had to start somewhere," Rea explained after his return to racing at the Italian World Superbike Round.

"The target of the weekend in my own mind was just to try and commit to racing, get passed fit and do my best to complete all three races with no mistakes. We completed that target, of course I wasn’t as competitive as I wanted to be, but considering I was only fully weight-bearing and walking without my air boot three weeks ago I can accept that.

"Coming back at Cremona, a track I didn’t race at last year and also super physical, I suffered more in my upper body than I did in my foot to be honest, because I was compensating quite a lot riding with my arms instead of my legs.

"Even though the bike didn’t feel perfect, the team have done everything to try to make me more comfortable and encourage me through this difficult weekend. I have no doubt better days are coming! It was always going to be a process whether I came back here or came back in Most, so today’s “weekend one” and hopefully we can get on a roll forward from this point."