Championship leader Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) scored his second race win of the 2018 season after battling for most of the restarted 17-lap race inside the leading pack. He then eased away from a three rider Ducati battle with five laps remaining. He would win by 1.450 seconds.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) made an audacious pass on Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team Ducati) in the final chicane on the last lap to take second place, with Fores just 0.023 seconds behind as they scrapped it out in front of the start-finish grandstand.
Podium contender Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) suddenly dropped back with just two laps to go, finishing fourth.
Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK) was fifth, the slowing Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) sixth and Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK) seventh.
Lowes had a good go at taking his first ever race win in the early stages but dropped back as Rea, Melandri and Fores made their eventual escape – to be joined by Davies as the race rolled on.
First timer Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba Racing IT Ducati Junior Team) was eighth, finally on his own after running in the back of the leading group.
A titanic battle for midfield points saw Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) ninth, Román Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) tenth, Superpole faller Loris Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team) 11th, Jake Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) 12th and Davide Giugliano (Milwaukee Aprilia) 13th. PJ Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team) was 16th, just missing put on a points score.
The first attempted running of the race was halted by a red flag as Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team), Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) clashed, after Camier had fallen. Camier was taken to hospital for deeper medical checks, but was described as conscious and stable at the end of the race. More updates when they become available.
By Gordon Ritchie
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- Ramos, Razgatlioglu and Baz, WSBK Race1, Aragon WSBK 2018
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- Fores and Jonathan Rea, WSBK Race1, Aragon WSBK 2018
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- Savadori, WSBK Race1, Aragon WSBK 2018
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- Davies, Jonathan Rea and Fores, WSBK Race1, Aragon WSBK 2018