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Magny-Cours WorldSBK: Rea double seals 'perfect weekend'

Jonathan Rea won his fourth WorldSBK title on Saturday but that did not stop him donning golden helmet and fairing panels, and attacking the race to take another double win, and four doubles in succession.

In winning his 68th WorldSBK race, he set a new stand-alone record of 131 podiums, one more then the legend that is Troy Corser.

Rea was pretty stoked, to say the least. “To go 1-1 this weekend, with the world championship, it is the perfect weekend,” he stated.

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“I will remember this forever. I was able to go out and do my job today a little bit different today. Coming from the third row I could not find my rhythm straight away because I was in traffic. Just by watching how the other bikes were behaving I had to think outside of the box a few times. But once I got clear track I was able to make a few solid lap times and then ride to my pit-board until the end.”

Having won the title on Saturday, Rea needed to let of steam on Sunday, as he had to stay calm on before race two. Relatively speaking.

“I want to try to forget today a little bit because the big job was done yesterday,” said Rea. “Winning a fourth world title is worth celebrating. Now I want to go with my team now and celebrate this moment because yesterday we had to put it to the side a little bit to focus on today. But I am just so proud of what we have achieved together over these last four seasons. And I hope we can do it for the next two, for sure.”

Winning on Sunday came the hard way, under the reverse grid rules.

“I just made some smart decision on the first lap and found myself behind VDM and Chaz,” said Rea after a good but not incredible start. “From there I stayed quiet and then I started making my challenge on VDM. Which was quite difficult. I had a lot more pace than him but he was not giving in easy. He was riding like every lap was the last lap. I picked my place and then set-off after Chaz. It was not easy to pass Chaz but the final gearing we had in today was really perfect. I could draw alongside Chaz, but outbraking Chaz when he is so strong is so difficult. Twice I went long.”

Next up for Rea is the chance to win more races in a season than anybody else. First challenge is Argentina, and the all-new circuit at El Villicum, in the far west.

“I am really excited about it because it is nice to go somewhere different,” said Rea, who has won a race at every current WorldSBK circuit at some stage of his career. “With it being a new track we may face some challenges but from what I hear they are on schedule to complete and we should not face any difficulties. The only challenges I see coming is the lack of grip on the circuit.

"Being a completely new circuit it might take some sessions to put some rubber down, to not completely kill the tyre. But from the Safety Commission, I saw a lot of pictures of the track and it looks incredible. Especially turn one because the altitude (elevation) difference is quite a lot. You go across past the pitboxes and then drop into turn one, a little like Portimao. It looks like a cool layout but I guess nobody knows that they are facing until we get there.”

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