Motorcycling: Rea to return to action this weekend

Jonathan Rea has confirmed his return to the track for World Superbike Championship action this weekend following injury.

In a statement on the Yamaha Racing website, the six-time World Champion, says he hasn't fully recovered from the thumb inury he picked up earlier this month at Magny-Cours in France.

It caused him to miss last week's round in Cremona, Italy, but the 37-year-old says he'll be back on his Yamaha Pata Prometeon machine in Aragon, Spain this week.

“It’s been a tough couple of weeks at home working on my recovery, and I’ve done everything possible to be in a position to return to my R1 and the team at the earliest possible time," admitted the Antrim star.

"I’m not 100% recovered but I feel ready to come back, even if I’m still working with my physio to improve the mobility of my thumb. The injury to the tendon was the biggest issue, which was repaired by my surgeon in France, and the top of the thumb is healing quite well after the skin graft.

"It’s step-by-step, it was always my target to be back for Aragon, but I’m disappointed to have missed Cremona because it was the first race I’ve missed through injury since 2013.

"Whatever my fitness level, I’m looking forward to Aragon – it’s a track that I enjoy and I’ve had success at in the past," he added.

"It’s been resurfaced, so we will have to understand the tyre performance and consumption, and work towards the best set-up for the race."

Rea currently sits 12th in the World Superbike standings with three rounds - including this weekend - still to go.