The six-time WorldSBK champion remains winless through the opening five rounds of the 2023 season, and more worryingly than that, has been nowhere near the fight for victory✤ in recent races. 

Rea was once again a bit-part player when it came to the latestꦐ WorldSBK round at Misano, finishing fifth on two occasions before claim𒁃ing P4 in Race 2.

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Had Michael Ruben Rꦓinaldi not crashed out of third, then a hat-trick of fifth place finishes was beckoning for Rea, who was unable to challenge Axel Bassani ahead of him as the race developed.

Speaking to , Rea said: "It’s our reality now, we have to forget the past, the past is the past. We’ve been riding the same bi💫ke now as we had many 𓆏years ago. 

"Everyone’s going faster൲ but we’re scratching the barrel to improve ourselves, and we are improving, that’s the thing.

"Instead of being happy with a race win, we have t🦄o be content with fifth and know we have to work. 

"I don’tꦰ like this question every time you ask, ‘how does it feel?’, we are ꩵwhere we are and it’s our reality right now. We have to improve the whole package. 

"We have to stop expecting to win and to be on the podium every weekend, it’s tough to be there. We need to improve; this is our real♌itไy.”

When discussing the sizable gap to Ducati an😼d Bautista in particular, Rea admitted the current situ🥃ation at Kawasaki cannot go on. 

"We closed the gap to Locatelli in the Championship, as much as that’s a small win," began Rea. "We stayed upright all weekend, and we didn’t test here and arrived quite far behind.&nb෴sp;

"Step by step, I went 5th, 5th, 4th. The gap to the front is too big… this is the situation. What we can’t accept is be the same pace and race t๊ime as last year, we need to be bet꧂ter, and we weren’t."

Could Bassani join Rea at Kawasaki for 2024 WorldSBK season?

With uncertainty surrounding Alex Lowes’ future with the team, and Axel Bassani despera🀅te to hop aboard a full factory bike, the Italian could be a contender to join the rider he was battling throughout the Misano race🌳s.

Hard but fair battles, Bassani came out victorious in their duels in all three rac🎃es, however, the Italia🍷n still believes he could learn a lot from being Rea’s teammate.

Bassaℱni said: "It’s OK! Jonny has a lot of experience, he’s a really good guy. For me, a legend and the best rider in WorldSBK. 

"I’m happy to ride wit🔯h him and when I beat him! If he was my teammate, then no problem. I have a lot of things to understand from him."