Rea Increases Championship Lead In Wet Weather
Race 2 sees new riders join the champion on the podium
Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jonathan Rea found redemption in Race 2 on Sunday at the Lausitzring in a dominant performance, seeing him win by a 9.3 second margin ahead of newcomers to the WordSBK podium IodaRacing Team’s Alex De Angelis and Barni Racing Team’s Xavi Fores.
Rain began to fall during the German National Anthem as riders were lined up on the grid, delaying the start of the race twice as the rain gradually came down heavier after every warm up lap attempt. Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tom Sykes got the holeshot and lead into the first corner ahead of Race 1 winner Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Sykes' teammate Jonathan Rea. Sykes ran wide allowing Rea to take advantage and shoot ahead. Nicky Hayden (Honda World Superbike Team) got off to a bad start with a wheelie off the line before he got caught up in the first corner and dropped back to P17.
Sykes was the first victim of the weather and crashed out before the end of the first lap, leaving Rea to extend his lead ahead of both the rest of the field and in the overall standings. Sykes later rejoined and was able to salvage four points, finishing in P12. IodaRacing’s Lorenzo Savadori, and Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Davide Giugliano, closely followed by MV Agusta Reparto Corse rider Leon Camier and De Angelis all had good pace in the wet and were all hunting down Davies. Giugliano charged ahead into second before a highside saw his chances of a podium finish disappear on lap five, one lap after Savadori crashed out after setting the fastest lap time.
Even though Sykes was out of podium contention, the reigning World Champion continued to charge ahead to secure the important 25 points to add to his title defence campaign. Leon Camier put in another incredible ride into the top four for MV Agusta Reparto Corse, trying to catch Fores for P3 before crossing the line just off the podium and equalling his best result of the year once again. Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team’s Sylvain Guintoli showed he’s back in form after battling with Chaz Davies to finish ahead of him in fifth.
Milwaukee BMW rider Josh Brookes showed his wet weather quality by finishing the treacherous race in seventh. After sliding out of the race in the closing laps, Honda World Superbike Team’s Michael van der Mark rejoined in an impressive push to the line on his battered Fireblade in eighth, ahead of Roman Ramos (Team GOELEVEN) in ninth and his teammate Nicky Hayden finishing in tenth.
VFT Racing’s Luca Scassa overcame the slippery conditions to finish in P11, while Grillini Racing Teams’ Gianluca Vizziello finished in P13. Team Toth's Pawel Szkopek looked hopeful moving into the top ten before a minor crash relegated him to P14 ahead of Milwaukee BMW’s Karel Abraham who picked up one point in P15.
Pedercini Racing’s Anthony West, Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team’s Alex Lowes, both Althea BMW riders Jordi Torres and Markus Reiterberger, Saeed Al Sulaiti (Pedercini Racing Team) and Dominic Schmitter (Grillini Racing Team) were all wet weather casualties, not finishing the race.
Jonathan Rea will now take his Championship defense to Round 11 of the FIM MOTUL World Superbike Championship at Magny-Cours in two weeks time.