World Superbike Championship: Rea in confident mood ahead of crunch finale in Indonesia
Jonathan Rea is preparing for the crucial final races of a long and challenging season.
The record-breaking six-time World Superbike champion goes into the finale at the new circuit of Mandalika in Indonesia at the weekend in the unusual position of chasing the leader.
The Antrim rider is 30 points behind Toprak Razgatlioglu - but there are 62 points still up for grabs.
And in a special interview with Downtown Radio & Cool FM, Rea vowed to do everything in his power to clinch a 7th straight title.
"I have a massive heart," he told us.
It has been an incredibly intense season to date with Kawasaki rider Rea recording 28 podium finishes, including 11 race wins.
But this is the toughest battle of his career to keep the number one plate on his Ninja ZX-10RR for another year.
The season has seen the pendulum of fortune swing from Rea to championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu and back again - hence few expect anything less than late dramas and unpredictable happenings to round off a year like 2021.
Saturday’s Race One is scheduled to take place at 15.00 local time in Lombok. The ten-lap Tissot-Superpole Race will take place at 11.00 local on Sunday 21 November and Race Two at 15.00.
Rea said: “After a few weeks at home preparing, I’m very excited to go to Mandalika and get the last round of the championship underway. I’m curious to see the circuit for the first time. First impressions from images I’ve found of it are great. It looks like a circuit that will suit the strengths of our ZX10-RR. We will work hard on Friday to learn the circuit and fine tune our settings.
"We will arrive there 30 points behind in the championship battle but we will fight to the end. I feel all the pressure is off now; I can ride free with nothing to lose and the target is clear. With three points scoring opportunities lying ahead I will give 100% to get the maximum possible.”