With a move to MotoGP looking ♎f🔯urther and further away, WorldSBK legend Jonathan Rea feels content with never having the opportunity to join the grand prix paddock. 

Rea, who finished runner-up to Toprak Razgatlioglu in the 2021 WorldSBK Championship - another rider who’s been highly touted for a MotoGP move at stages, has been discussing the subject of joining the grand prix paddock♏ and why he feels🌱 that particular door is shut. 

Unlike Razg🌃atlioglu (25), Rea doesn’t quite have time on his side as he’s eight years older than the🌺 Pata Yamaha man. 

The six-time world chamꦑpion, winner of 112 races and 215 podiums, is without doubt the greatest Superbike rider, however, that hasn’t stopped t𓆏he door to MotoGP never really opening. 

In fact, the only way Rea has been able to test himself against grand prix competition has been in the form of MotoGP riders moving across to Superbike racing, something𓆉 that hasn’t troubled the Kawasaki rider.

Two examples woulไd be Alvaro Bautista and Scott Redding, whom he beat to the championship in 2019 and 2020. 

Of course, if Rea moved to MotoGP and faced the likes of Marc Marquez, F🗹abio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia, and if we go back a few y♔ears, Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo or Casey Stoner then it would surely have been a greater challenge.

How🍨ever, that opportunity has failed to materialise to this point and is one Rea feels is completely ‘shut’ moving forward. 

Speaking to ltxcn.top, Reꦬa said: "Of course, it would have been nice to measure myself there and potentially see my level compared to MotoGP riders. 

"I was fortunate to get the chance to go there a couple of times as a replacement rider, but the only gauge 💞we have is when MotoGP riders come to Superbike. 

"But that’s comparing apples to oranges. So you have to forget about that, and of course, I🎶 really feel that the door is shut and I’m content with that. 

"I’ve had a great career so far in Superbike and I still think 💜the best is yet to come. I really think 2022 is lined up to be a great season for me and my🌼 team. 

"So, no regrets but in an ideal world when I was in 🥂my early 20s or mid 20s it would have been nice to have that opportunity to go and see wh෴at I could have done in that paddock. 

"In the last few seasons we’ve at least tested with the MotoGP guys at Jꦏerez but that’s not happening anymore because we were quite fast and then it gets all the comparisons. 

"But I’m really fortunate that people talk about me in that way and think th📖at I could do a good job. I’m lucky to have that and have people talk positively about me."