A new Yamaha chief has admitted they “expected more” from Jo🍷natha꧑n Rea’s debut season.

Rea ended his legendary Kawasaki stint which yielde🌳d six World Superbike Championship titles to join their rival brand a year ago.

But in 2024 on the 💝Yamaha, Rea didn’t win or even make a ꦡsingle podium.

He ended the season 13th in the championship.

"It was certainly a season below expectat🌼ions,” new Yamaha WSBK sporting director Niccolo Canepa told .

“We expected more from Jonathan and many results were not in line 𓆉with our hopes.

“We are working hard, and well, to get back to the positions that matter and to be consistently on the podium, as we had done in previous years, and to help Rea regain the confidence ༒he has lost a bit.

“Already at the end of the sea💮son we saw important steps forward: there will be changes, we are working hard to try to get back up".

Rea’s Yamaha team have also come under scrutiny from their titl🐼eꩵ sponsor.

♛The owner of Pata admitted he was “demoralised” by the struggles of last year.

And even Rea has conceded that retirement briefly entered his mind after his below-par Yamaha debut y🦹ear.

But 🧔he will ret🤪urn for the WSBK 2025 year. He will be 38 years old next month.