Rea takes double and becomes championship leader

Imola (Italy), Sunday 11 May 2014 - 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. Thanks to the 13th race win and the first double since Assen 2010, Rea elevates himself to the championship lead for the first time ever.

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.

Niccolo Canepa had a technical failure in the closing laps as it looked certain that he was heading to the best classified award in the EVO category. His retirement handed that accolade once again to Leon Camier (BMW Motorrad Italia).

Jonathan Rea: "It’s been a great weekend for me! I couldn’t have imagined doubling up coming here. But I knew we’d be strong because it’s a circuit I really enjoy and one that the bike goes really well at. We’ll try to make the bike better in tomorrow's official test and go to Donington hopefully to keep this ball rolling. I’m really enjoying riding right now and I want to thank everyone who’s put the work in. Not just the track staff here but the guys back at base in Nieuwleusen (Netherlands). It’s also the home round for our sponsors, Pata, so a big thanks to them, too."

Chaz Davies: “These have been the best races of the season and undoubtedly my best race weekend so far, in that we’ve been consistently strong since Friday. It’s great to be on the podium and is the best way to thank Ducati and all of the guys, both in the team and the factory, for all of their hard work. I can almost ride the bike as I would like, we just have a small problem with rear vibration to iron out but tomorrow, during the tests, we will also work on this and I’m sure we’ll be able to improve. I’m very pleased with the double podium of course and it confirms how much work has been done in Ducati over the last months, so I want to dedicate today’s results to Ducati and all the fans.”

Race 1

The sun continued to shine at Imola as the first race of the day got underway in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd.

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.

In the EVO battle, Leon Camier (BMW Motorrad Italia) came out on top, finishing comfortably ahead of David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Luca Scassa (Team Pedercini Kawasaki). Ivan Goi (Barni Racing Team) and Niccolo Canepa (Althea Racing Ducati) crashed without injury.

Race 2

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 Giugliano (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.

Niccolo Canepa had a technical failure in the closing laps as it looked certain that he was heading to the best classified award in the EVO category. His retirement handed that accolade once again to Leon Camier (BMW Motorrad Italia).

Standings (Round 4 of 13): 1. Rea 139; 2. Sykes 135; 3. Guintoli 123; 4. Baz 119; 5. Davies 87; 6. Melandri 84; 7. Giugliano 69; 8. Laverty 62; 9. Haslam 58; 10. Lowes 50; 11. Elias 50; 12. Salom 34; 13. Canepa 28; 14. Camier 20; 15. Scassa 16; 16. Foret 10; 17. Morais 10; 18. Guarnoni 7; 19. Allerton 6; 20. Bos 5; 21. Corti 5; 22. Fabrizio 2; 23. Andreozzi 1. Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki 143; 2. Honda 139; 3. Aprilia 133; 4. Ducati 113; 5. Suzuki 92; 6. BMW 26; 7. MV Agusta 5.

WSBK