Aragon WSBK: Davies ends Rea's reign with Race 2 win
Chaz Davies became the first rider to beat Jonathan Rea in the 2017 World Superbike season in Race 2 at Aragon, the Welshman winning from 10th on the grid.
Photo by: Ducati Corse
Davies fought back from crashing out from the lead, and thus giving Rea the win, in yesterday's Race 1.
Having finished fourth and fifth yesterday, Yamaha duo Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark started the Sunday race first and second.
Lowes had a strong launch off the line, but the Briton could hold on to the lead for only three laps before surrendering to the charging Rea.
Marco Melandri and Davies also followed him through soon afterwards, relegating the Yamaha duo to fourth and fifth.
Davies continued his charge by overtaking his teammate, and also managing to make a move stick on Rea to claim the lead on Lap 13.
Instead of fighting back, Rea was also passed by Melandri on the main straight two laps later.
However, Rea managed to retake second just a few corners later, and was all over Davies during the final lap of the race.
The Northern Irishman made two separate overtaking attempts, but Davies managed to hold him off to secure his first win of 2017.
Rea had to settle for second for the first time this year, as Melandri lost ground towards the end in third.
After dropping back to fourth, Lowes ran off track to drop outside of the top 10 and eventually finished 13th.
His teammate Van der Mark held the spot for much of the race, but his pace dropped dramatically towards the end, allowing Rea's teammate Tom Sykes through and settling for fifth.
Local riders Xavi Fores (Barni Ducati) and Jordi Torres (Althea BMW) took sixth and seventh respectively, ahead of Aprilia duo Leandro Mercado (Ioda) and Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee).
The top 10 was completed by the sole MV Agusta rider of Leon Camier.
Race 2 results
Cla | Driver | Bike | Gap |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Chaz Davies | Ducati | |
2 | Jonathan Rea | Kawasaki | 0.483 |
3 | Marco Melandri | Ducati | 2.479 |
4 | Tom Sykes | Kawasaki | 10.562 |
5 | Michael van der Mark | Yamaha | 13.336 |
6 | Xavi Forés | Ducati | 16.951 |
7 | Jordi Torres | BMW | 18.638 |
8 | Leandro Mercado | Aprilia | 18.700 |
9 | Eugene Laverty | Aprilia | 21.290 |
10 | Leon Camier | MV Agusta | 22.246 |
11 | Roman Ramos | Kawasaki | 24.307 |
12 | Stefan Bradl | Honda | 25.829 |
13 | Alex Lowes | Yamaha | 26.611 |
14 | Randy Krummenacher | Kawasaki | 40.575 |
15 | Julian Simon | Aprilia | 40.769 |
16 | Markus Reiterberger | BMW | 40.915 |
17 | Ayrton Badovini | Kawasaki | 1'00.980 |
Alex de Angelis | Kawasaki | 5 laps | |
Riccardo Russo | Yamaha | 6 laps | |
Nicky Hayden | Honda | 7 laps |
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