Source: Supplied.

Ducati title challenger Chaz Davies threw down the gauntlet to championship leader Jonathan Rea in World Superbike race two at Imola as the Welshman again led off the line from pole and took a commanding victory.

Kawasaki Racing Team’s reigning champion Rea crossed the line second despite struggling with some issues, heading teammate Tom Sykes over the line once again.

Under worsening skies at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, the WorldSBK grid got away on a dry track with Davies leading off the line and the two KRT riders once again able to leapfrog second Aruab.it rider Davide Giugliano.

With a few moments for Rea on track that saw him lose touch with leader Davies, the reigning Champion held it together to get another big haul of points towards his title defence. Sykes kept close to his teammate for the majority of the race, but was unable to make a pass on the daunting 4.9km of Imola.

Davide Giugliano was the lead home rider on the second Aruba.it machine, and started from the middle of the front row to come home in P4, making an improvement on his Saturday result of P5. Leon Camier brought more home glory for the host nation as the Brit rode his MV Agusta to another top five finish after a best of P4 recently for the Italian manufacturer.

Alex Lowes, after a difficult Superpole 2, fought his Pata Yamaha YZF R1 up into the top six after succumbing to Camier, in front of Jordi Torres as the Catalan Althea BMW rider was left outside the top 10 near the start of the race and pulled off an impressive recovery ride.

Lorenzo Savadori on his Aprilia made sure there was representation for every manufacturer in the top eight at Imola, before suffering a problem on the last lap and being relegated to P11 over the line.

Honda duo Nicky Hayden and Michael van der Mark ended the second race of the weekend in P8 and P9 respectively, after a difficult few days in Imola where the Assen podium finishers found themselves further back on the grid than both are used to. Xavi Forés completed the top ten for Barni Racing team on his Ducati, classified ahead of Savadori at the flag.

Australia’s reigning British Superbike Champion Josh Brookes crossed the line 13th for Milwaukee BMW, while Grillini Racing Team Kawasaki rider Josh Hook retired out of proceedings.

In World Supersport it was defending champion Kenan Sofuoglu who won for Kawasaki, over pole-setter Jules Cluzel and PJ Jacobsen. Top Australian was Aiden Wagner in 18th, followed by Jed Metcher in 24th and Lachlan Epis in 30th.