Source: Supplied.

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) stormed to his third win of the Motul FIM World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK) with an incredible Assen performance, nailing his eighth consecutive Dutch win and 12th in total, equalling Carl Fogarty’s historic dozen Assen triumphs along the way.

It didn’t come easy for the Northern Irishman, however, forced to fend off strong attacks from Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), second and third respectively.

The grid hinted towards a fascinating start, with five teams holding the first five positions. Rea made the move over poleman Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) at the first corner, although it was Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team) who took the early lead with a flying start at the lights.

However, by the end of sector one it was Rea back on top. Behind him, van der Mark began his climb right of the bat, jumping from seventh to fourth. The crowd were ecstatic by the end of lap eight, as local boy van der Mark, astonishingly quick throughout the race, picked off Rea at the chicane and made his way into first. However, the championship leader took over two laps later, same spot, same move.

By then Chaz Davies had quietly made his way to the top, once again making up for a poor Superpole with a scintillating race. A three-way battle ensued, with Davies merely centimetres off of Rea but unable to just quite make it past. With van der Mark and Davies then battling for second behind, Rea put some space between him and his pursuers for the final laps, although never more than a second.

Behind the front three, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) showed the Kawasaki’s pace here after a poor weekend at MotorLand Aragon, coming in fourth and a mere two tenths off a first podium finish since Phillip Island race one.

Xavi Fores, again the first independent rider, made it through the checkered flag in fifth, drifting off the front pace through the final laps. Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) made it to the line in sixth, untroubled but also unable to stay close to the lead.

Loriz Baz (GULF Althea BMW Racing Team) followed in seventh place, with Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) in eighth, season-best finishes for both riders. Top 10 was closed by Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in ninth and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in tenth.

A second consecutive Superpole for Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing) sets the stage for a thrilling Sunday race at Assen, as the top two riders in the FIM Supersport World Championship will meet at the front of row one. Cortese controlled the second Superpole session, taking the early lead and continuing to improve on his lap times through the final minutes.

Completing the front row, Raffaele De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag) put his MV Agusta in third and in a good position to challenge for a first non-Yamaha podium finish of the season.

He qualified just ahead of Jules Cluzel (NRT), in search of his second consecutive podium finish this year, as Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing) proved again that he can get the best out of his Triumph Daytona with the fifth best time of the session. Australian Lachlan Epis (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) finished the session in 27th position, while compatriot Anthony West (EAB Antwest Racing) failed to lodge a time.

Mika Pérez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) took his second FIM Supersport 300 World Championship pole position in two races this season, despite a last lap crash denying him the chance to improve his times.

The Spaniard was particularly strong in the latter sectors of his lap and scored an early best time, with only championship leader Koen Meuffels (KTM Fortron Junior Team) coming close. He’s joined on the front row by Ana Carrasco (DS Junior Team), who made it in in third position. Aussie Tom Edwards recorded the 15th fastest time.