Rea triumphs against Ducati trio in restarted race

Click here for full race one results from Aragon

Jonathan Rea has produced a masterclass to clinch a second race win of the season by fending off a trio of Ducati riders in the restarted opener at Aragon.

The defending World Superbike champion has strengthened his points lead with victory in Spain despite being under constant pressure from Chaz Davies, Xavi Fores and Marco Melandri before creeping away over the final five laps to keep clear of the tussling Ducatis.

Rea bolted into the lead after taking the holeshot from pole-sitter Melandri and after an early attack from Pata Yamaha’s Alex Lowes the Kawasaki rider began to find his rhythm at the front despite nearly crashing at Turn 1 at the start of lap three. But the triple World Superbike champion wasn’t able to produce a trademark charge at the front as the Ducati riders began to reel him in at midrace distance.

Barni Ducati’s Fores briefly darted ahead with a move up the inside at turn one at the start of lap nine, with Rea following for three laps before slicing back into the lead around the final corner at the end of lap 12.

Having measured up the race pace of his rivals, Rea sprinted into a useful lead which he maintained to the finish to clinch an impressive victory at a circuit which traditionally favours the Ducati Panigale bikes.

Davies battled back from starting 11^th after a crash in qualifying to pinch second place off of Fores at the final corner to leave the Spanish rider on the final step of the podium. Melandri had been in the thick of the fight at the front until the last lap when he ran wide at the first corner which left him a distant fourth place at the chequered flag.

Michael van der Mark led the charge behind the front four for Pata Yamaha ahead of Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes and Lowes who suffered a dramatic drop off in pace during the middle third of the race having led the opening laps.

Aruba.it Racing Ducati junior rider Michael Ruben Rinaldi notched up an eye-catching World Superbike debut in eighth place, with the Italian rider set to take part on all European races alongside Davies and Melandri this year, as he kept clear of an intense fight for the lower points places.

Puccetti Kawasaki’s Toprak Razgatlioglu won the midfield battle in ninth place just ahead of fellow independent Kawasaki rider Roman Ramos with Loris Baz taking 11^th place for Althea BMW in front of Red Bull Honda’s Jake Gagne.

Eugene Laverty’s stand-in rider Davide Giugliano claimed 13^th place for Milwaukee Aprilia, as the Irish rider recovers from a fractured pelvis suffered in Thailand, with Yonny Hernandez (Pedercini Kawasaki) and Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) completing the points places.

The initial race one start was red flagged after three laps due to a nasty accident involving Leon Camier, Jordi Torres and Savadori. Camier low-sided off his Red Bull Honda and the following pair of riders were collected by the stricken Fireblade with Torres hitting the British rider.

Camier has been reported as conscious and responding to treatment after being taken to the Aragon medical centre before being moved to hospital as a precaution.