Jonathan Rea was back in action at Motorland Aragon in Spain last week for the first time since breaking his femur in a crash at the Nurburgring in September.

The Ulster star, who will again ride for the Pata Honda team in next season’s World Superbike Championship, concentrated on further developing the electronics of the CBR1000RR Fireblade at the two-day test alongside team-mate Leon Haslam.

Rea also used the shakedown to work on various chassis settings and set the quickest time of the Honda riders at the test in 1m 57.4 seconds.

The 26-year-old is now looking ahead to a test at Jerez in Spain next week prior to the onset of the winter testing ban, which comes into effect on December 1 and runs until January 14.

Rea said:

“We worked a lot on electronics to give me confidence to ride how I want. We also tried some chassis set-ups around the 2014-spec Ohlins front forks, which were interesting.

“I’m satisfied with our work and I enjoyed riding a lot. Now I’m looking forward to another test at Jerez where I hope my physical condition can be a little stronger than it has been here.”

Rea’s spill in Germany in September ruled him out for the remainder of the season.

He finished ninth overall in the championship standings, four points behind Kawasaki’s Loris Baz.

Rea clinched a brilliant victory on home soil in race one at Silverstone in August but a heavy spill at the next round of the series in Germany forced him to miss the final four races of the campaign.



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