Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) played an eventual game of chase in the second 23-lap race of the Donington WorldSBK race weekend, with Rea holding on to a lead
It was an incredible ride of redemption after his first day misfortunes, leading on lap 23 by 1.601 seconds to take his eighth win of 2017 and Kawasaki’s 100th race win in this class.
Behind the final top two, Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) made a great charge through to go third, passing Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) with one lap to go.
Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) was fifth, and another local rider, Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) sixth.
Spaniards Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Ducati) and Roman Ramos (Team GOELEVEN Kawasaki) placed seventh and eighth.
A great run for local wild card Jake Dixon (Royal Air Force Regular & Reserve Kawasaki) saw him ninth on his BSB bike, and Raffaele De Rosa (Althea BMW Racing Team) take tenth place.
A rash of top riders did not finish, Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) being knocked off as Leandro Mercado (IodaRacing Team Aprilia) was put off his line; as he came back he clashed with Haslam’s right and the English rider fell.
Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had his chain snap and Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) was just one of many rider to no-score on a day when only 14 riders finished.
In the points Rea has 260 points, and Sykes 205.
Jonathan Rea, Donington WSBK 2017