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).
Results race one: 1. Rea (Honda) 19 Laps/93.784 km in 34'14.829 average 164.307 kph; 2. Davies (Ducati) 4.511; 3. Sykes (Kawasaki) 6.492; 4. Baz (Kawasaki) 8.434; 5. Guintoli (Aprilia) 9.134; 6. Melandri (Aprilia) 14.925; 7. Laverty (Suzuki) 19.973; 8. Lowes (Suzuki) 21.582; 9. Elias (Aprilia) 28.781; 10. Haslam (Honda) 31.245; 11. Camier (BMW) 40.996; 12. Salom (Kawasaki) 55.372; 13. Scassa (Kawasaki) 55.899; 14. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1'04.402; 15. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1'23.074; 16. Foret (Kawasaki) 1'23.324; 17. Morais (Kawasaki) 1'36.763; 18. Corti (MV Agusta) 1'36.942; 19. Sebestyen (BMW) 1'43.545; 20. Toth (BMW) 1'43.819; RT. Giugliano (Ducati); RT. Fabrizio (Kawasaki); RT. Yates (EBR); RT. Canepa (Ducati); RT. Goi (Ducati); NS. May (EBR); SH. Iddon (Bimota) 55.174; SH. Badovini (Bimota).
Results race two: 1. Rea (Honda) 19 Laps/93.784 km in 34'14.255 average 164.353 kph; 2. Davies (Ducati) 4.095; 3. Guintoli (Aprilia) 5.546; 4. Baz (Kawasaki) 6.285; 5. Sykes (Kawasaki) 7.147; 6. Giugliano (Ducati) 22.054; 7. Elias (Aprilia) 25.811; 8. Haslam (Honda) 26.127; 9. Laverty (Suzuki) 26.306; 10. Lowes (Suzuki) 33.046; 11. Melandri (Aprilia) 37.788; 12. Camier (BMW) 42.415; 13. Salom (Kawasaki) 52.114; 14. Scassa (Kawasaki) 59.001; 15. Foret (Kawasaki) 1'04.364; 16. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1'18.512; 17. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1'34.487; 18. May (EBR) 1 Lap; 19. Toth (BMW) 1 Lap; RT. Canepa (Ducati); RT. Morais (Kawasaki); RT. Fabrizio (Kawasaki); RT. Sebestyen (BMW); RT. Yates (EBR); RT. Corti (MV Agusta); NS. Goi (Ducati); SH. Badovini (Bimota) 42.284; SH. Iddon (Bimota) 51.220.
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.
