WSBK: 3 wins in a row for Rea and Pata Honda
WSBK: 3 wins in a row for Rea and Pata Honda
Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) once again made the best start as race two, but unlike race one, Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) and Davide Giuglino (Ducati Superbike Team) who also started from the front row, made equally impressive starts to ensure that they were in contention from the beginning.
The race two pace was a lot higher than the earlier encounter as Rea lapped at almost lap record pace on his first flying lap.
Reigning champion Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) started slowly but was soon up to 4th after displacing Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) who in turn had moved ahead of race one podium finisher Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team).
As the race progressed and with Rea out in front by over 5 seconds, Davies and Guintoli together with Sykes and his fellow Kawasaki rider Loris Baz, were involved in an intense battle which raged until the final lap.
At the flag Rea took a double victory ahead of Davies, who clung on to his second podium of the day and Guintoli who fought hard to finish 3rd.
Loris Baz got the better of his team mate Tom Sykes to claim fourth, with Davide Giugliano putting the disappointment of his race one crash behind him with a solid 6th.
Rea wins after dominating race one in Imola
From the start it was Pole Position setter Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) who immediately took the lead ahead of the Aprilia Racing Team duo of Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli. Chaz Davies (Ducati Racing Team) moved up to second at the end of lap one and as the laps progressed a number of riders in the leading group would run off track in their efforts to keep up with the flying British duo at the front.
By half distance Rea had moved clear of the chasing pack with a lead of almost two seconds. Behind the leader a four rider fight involving Davies, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), Sylvain Guintoli who had worked hard to bridge the gap after an off track excursion at the chicane on lap 2, Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) became more intense with every corner.
Giugliano slid out of contention on the twelfth lap, the Italian clearly annoyed as the front end of his Ducati went away from him.
At the flag and after 19 exciting laps it was Rea who took back to back wins ahead of Davies and Sykes, who complete the race one podium. The Ulsterman now sit second in the standings, with only ten points to make up from the leader Tom Sykes.
