Source: Supplied.

Following a brilliant contest at the Pirelli Aragon Round Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) maintained his 100 percent record so far in 2017, taking full advantage of a late crash for Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).

With Davies out and Rea taking charge, Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) completed the podium.

Rea made it five wins from five this year after putting pressure on provisional race leader Davies for most of the race, with Ducati’s Welsh rider crashing out at the penultimate turn of the penultimate lap. The victory puts Rea 47 points clear of Sykes at the head of the championship.

Melandri was another beneficiary of Davies’ unfortunate crash as he crossed the line in second, the Italian outpacing Sykes as the pair battled for prominence. Sykes’ third place in the race moves him up to second in the general standings.

Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) secured an excellent fourth place finish, ahead of Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) who completed the top five.

Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) was the best Spanish finisher in sixth, with Leandro Mercado (IODARacing), Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia), Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) and Nicky Hayden (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) all in the top 10.

Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) was forced to stop in the final stages due to a technical problem which caused his Ducati Panigale R to catch fire.

A focused performance in Tissot Superpole 2 from PJ Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) gave the American rider his second pole position of 2017, with world champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) returning to action to qualify second. The front row of the grid was completed by South African rider Sheridan Morais (Kallio Racing Team).

Scott Deroue (MTM HS Kawasaki) will be the rider on pole for the first race of the new World Supersport 300 series on Sunday, after the Dutchman headed Tissot Superpole 2.

Of the Aussies in WorldSSP, Aiden Wagner (Team Lorini Honda) was 22nd, Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing Kawasaki) 27th and Anthony West (EAB West Racing Yamaha) 35th after encountering troubles. In STK1000, Aruba.it Ducati’s Mike Jones was fourth and Glenn Scott (Agro On-Benjan Kawasaki) 29th.