Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea produced a carbon copy of this morning’s race one result to make it a double World Superbike win in Thailand today with Leon Haslam taking another second place and Alex Lowes rounding out an all-British podium.
Rea took the gentlemen’s set at the Chang International Circuit with two wins, pole position and fastest race lap of the weekend, taking the holeshot and controlling the race from the front to eventually take victory by the business end of five seconds and increase his championship lead to ten points.
Haslam had a 3.7s margin over close friend Lowes after the Derby-based youngster shoved his way past the Red Devils Aprilia on lap one at the hairpin, causing Haslam to sit up and also lose a place to Chaz Davies.Davies was immediately re-passed by Haslam but it took eight laps for him to catch Lowes and pass him in the same place Lowes barged his way through while Welshman Davies slid off his Ducati for the second race running, losing the rear at turn three. He re-mounted to finish in 15th for a point but will be disappointed with the weekend’s work.
Jordi Torres spoiled a British whitewash of the top positions, passing former champion Tom Sykes on the penultimate lap for fourth place. The Spaniard struggled to get past Sykes on the brakes but as soon as he did, he immediately gapped the Kawasaki man.
Reigning champion Sylvain Guintoli had to start from the back of the grid as technical problems meant he didn’t make the formation but lap the Pata Honda man scythed his way through to sixth place.
Team-mate Michael Van Der Mark was with him on the last lap and rode round the outside of him for sixth place but exceeded the track limits and was put back to seventh by race direction immediately after the chequered flag.
Matteo Baiocco, David Salom and Tati Mercado completed the top ten while it was another disaster for Leon Camier, who retired on lap 11.
