Jonathan Rea was pleased with his first World Superbike race victory since Assen after taking race one at Misano but the Kawasaki rider said it was a hard battle with his team-mate Tom Sykes.

Sykes shadowed Rea for much of the race, though never got close enough to mount an overtaking maneuver as just 0.090s split the duo at the chequered flag.

In the end, Rea was delighted to get another 25 points on the board but he was alarmed at being unable to make a breakaway from his team-mate at any point in the race.

“That was the clear target, like I said,” Rea affirmed. “We want to win two races here, so we’re halfway to accomplishing that.

“To be honest, it’s a little bit surprising how much I struggled in the end. Yesterday our pace was so strong in the long run to stay in the low thirty-sixes so I’m not sure how much the track temperature increase has affected us but it seems to be a lot.

“Compared to our competitors in parc ferme, it looks like we struggled, both Kawasakis so we need to sit down tonight and understand how we can improve because I’m sure Tom had the same issues because he was strong in some areas and I was strong in some areas but overall the lap times were quite similar.”

Rea told reporters in Misano that he actually considering letting Sykes past in the middle of the race, to see if the Yorkshireman had better pace but the reigning world champion thought better of it given the difficult overtaking nature of the circuit.

“I made some laps in the middle of the race in the thirty-six zone, I was expecting him to come through,” he said. “I was relaxing a little bit not abusing the tyre but when he didn’t come past I tried to go again but then it was impossible at that stage to go back into the thirty-fives or the low thirty-sixes.”

In the end, the Ulsterman was content with another race win despite the closeness of the result and he has extended his lead in the championship to 61 points.

Rea said being in front at Misano, in particular the fast section through Turns 11 and 12, was tough work and with his tyres suffering as they were, 25 points regardless of how they were gained was a welcome success once again.

“I’m super happy here at Misano, especially the fast section, the fast rights it’s very easy to follow so for me it’s always breaking the wind and making the line on entry,” said Rea.

“I felt like it was quite difficult to lead round here, especially with Tom being very strong behind. I tried not to think about him, just my race and I rode my race.

“When I slowed down, the pace for me was thirty-six high but then like I say when I tried to go again it was really difficult.”