Pata Honda’s Jonathan Rea is overjoyed with finishing third in the overall World Superbike championship standings, with a total of 334 points. He finished both races ahead of rival Aprilia’s Marco Melandri, and ended his season with Honda on a high after bagging the second step of the podium in the final race of the season in Qatar.
It was an emotional day for the Northern Irishman as he is parting ways with crew chief Chris Pike who is moving to the MotoGP paddock, with Rea and rumoured to be joining Tom Sykes in the Kawasaki garage for 2015. The Isle of Man based resident is ‘over the moon’ and in the end only one point separated Rea and Melandri in the championship, leaving the rider feeling very emotional.
“I am really over the moon with finishing third in the championship and it is a sweet way to finish the year. It is the end of a long season too,” said Rea, at the track.
“I had a few tears on the start line as I was really pumped and I was so emotional, and also the fact my crew chief Chris Pike is moving to the GP paddock and I am staying in World Superbikes. But I am just so happy and thankful to the Pata Honda team, and I can reflect on how lucky I really am."
