Jonathan Rea made amends for two DNFs in a row as he won the second World Superbike race at Lausitzring in treacherous conditions.
The reigning champ extended his title lead once again as he took the win by 9.396s while his championship rival and team-mate Tom Sykes limped home 12th after a crash.
Second over the line was the IodaRacing Aprilia of Alex De Angelis, who made a spectacular charge through the field after starting 18th, while Xavi Fores crossed the line third.
Following a dry Supersport race an hour earlier, the heavens had opened at the German track moments before the race was due to start.
As the sky grew darker and the rain heavier resulting in standing water around the track, the race was delayed by 45 minutes until the weather improved, and shortend from 21 to 16 laps.
Polesitter Chaz Davies had been hoping for another race like yesterday when he won by 10 seconds, but as soon as today’s got underway it was clear this was not on the cards.
This time it was Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tom Sykes who got the best start and led the pack into the first corner, as team-mate Rea got another speedy getaway from sixth on the grid to move up to second.
Nicky Hayden had a horror show of a start, dropping from third on the grid to 18th, as Davide Giugliano also got a good start, passing his aruba.it team-mate Davies in the opening scrum.
Rea was determined to get to the front and moved past Sykes who ran a little bit wide a turn eight to take the lead. Moments later, Sykes – who had looked a bit scrappy all lap – crashed out. He re-joined but was way down the order.
Other movers and shakers in the opening lap were the Ioda Racing duo of Lorenzo Savadori and De Angelis, who were up to fourth and fifth respectively after De Angelis had made what could be the start of the season to charge through the order from 18th.
On the second lap, Savadori passed Davies for third and his team-made followed a lap later as the Welshman struggled with the Panigale. A lap later Leon Camier joined the fun as began to scrap with Davies, but after running wide following a failed pass, he was powerless to stop Xavi Fores’ Barni Racing Team Ducati sneaking though.
Giugliano, who had been running second, crashed out moments later in a big off at Turn Nine, and was taken to the medical centre to be checked over.
The Pedercini Kawasaki of Anthony West was on the move, passing Davies and Camier but the glory was to be short-lived as he crashed out on Lap Seven, moments after Savadori had crashed from second. Torres was the next addition to the gravel trap on the same lap, shaking up the top 10.
From Lap Eight, the top three didn’t change. Rea eked out a comfortable lead while Sylvain Guintoli looked strong in seventh on his Pata Yamaha ahead of the Milwaukee BMW of josh Brookes and Guintoli’s team-mate Alex Lowes.
But Lowes was the next rider to crash having just made it into the top 10. Hayden, who had battled his way back up to 11h had to take an evasive line down the slip road to avoid hitting him and dropped a spot to 12th.
With just one lap to go, Michael Van Der Mark became the next rider to hit the deck while running in seventh. His Honda engaged in some serious gymnastics in the air before it landed yet somehow the Dutchman managed to get back on it and lost only one place.
Rea took the chequered flag a lap later, with Camier next Brit home in fourth ahead of Davies in fifth. Brookes was seventh ahead of Van Der Mark with Roman Ramos ninth on the Team GoEleven Kawasaki and Hayden 10th. Sykes made it home in 12th position to pick up a few points.
