WorldSBK: Rea dominates Imola

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) dominated round five of the 2019 Superbike World Championship at Imola last weekend (May 11-12), blitzing the opposition in the opening two races before finale was cancelled due to heavy rain.

They were the first wins of the season for the defending world champion, snapping the domination of Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista who was undefeated heading into Imola.

Bautista, on is first visit to Imola, finished the weekend with 2-3 results, while the other riders to finish on the podium were Turkey’s Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki, third in race one) and polesitter Chaz Davies (Ducati second in race two). Davies retired from race one with a mechanical issue.

IMOLA RESULTS

For Rea, it was a return to his bullocking free-running best as he trimmed Bautista’s championship lead to 43pts (263 to 220). Yamaha riders Alex Lowes (140pts) and Michael van der Mark (134) are next, followed by Kawasaki’s Leon Haslam (108) and Davies (85).

“It was a really positive weekend, to get my feeling with the bike here and be able to really get the maximum out of it,” said Rea. “To pick up two race wins makes me really happy. I want to thank all the team for always believing and keeping on pushing.

“We never stopped believing that this weekend was a perfect opportunity for the chance to win. With our form here in the past, the way our bike works here and the way I ride – it was our chance.

“So we had to take it and I did, in both races. That was positive but unfortunately race three was cancelled because of the weather which came in. I completely understand and I am sure we will get our chance again.”

Round six will be held in Jerez, Spain, from June 7-9.