Image: Supplied.

Five-time reigning champion Jonathan Rea says his victories in Argentina and Qatar have proven more than a fast engine is required to win in the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK).

Both venues delivered two of the fastest circuits on the calendar, and despite Rea’s Kawasaki ZX-10RR engine producing less power than that of the Ducati Panigale V4 piloted by rival Alvaro Bautista, the Irishman was able to win five of six races across the pair of weekends.

“17 race wins this year and two triples – Donington and here – so this is special, super-special,” Rea reflected. “I am really happy and content because to be honest we never expected to get beaten so bad in the beginning.

“Even in the middle of the season we knew we needed to enter these last two rounds with a gap in the championship to fight for it, but what we expected we didn’t find. I am really happy with the package of our bike because in these last two races, with the longest straights in the championship, and the fastest circuits, we have proved that you need more than a fast engine to win.

“I am super-proud of all my team. This weekend we changed the base set-up so many times, from race one to Superpole to race two – you would not believe me is I told you what we did. We turned the bike upside down and each and every time we had some positives and negatives, so it just shows our bike is working inside a good window.”

Rea completed his fifth-straight championship-winning campaign with a total of 663 points.