The Kawasaki Racing Team rider needed to outscore Tom Sykes by five points while not conceding more than 12 points to Chaz Davies in order to secure a third title in a row in race one at Magny-Cours and duly delivered with a dominant win with Sykes third and Davies out of contention in tenth.
Rea has created history by becoming the first rider to take a third straight World Superbike title in an era of near-faultless domination since the Northern Irish rider joined Kawasaki at the start of 2015. This season has been Rea’s most successful with 12 race wins so far and has only missed out on the podium in one race this year, when a rear tyre blowout ended his charge while leading in race one at Donington Park.
The 30-year-old, who has held the World Superbike championship lead at every round since the start of 2015 at Phillip Island, took hold of the title race with five wins from the opening five races before stretching his control with a record of seven wins from the opening eight races.
Despite missing out in the Donington Park opener, Rea bounced back with victory in race two – ending Tom Sykes’s domination at the British circuit – before notching up podiums at Misano and Laguna Seca with a win in race two.
Rea continued to sprint to the 2017 title with a double second place at Lausitzring before dominating with a double victory at Portimao to set-up his first shot at sealing the title in race one in Magny-Cours.
Rea has drawn level with Troy Corser on three World Superbike titles and trails all-time championship leader Carl Fogarty by one with the British rider collecting four titles in his career
Source: CRASH