Chaz Davies brought an end to Jonathan Rea’s winning streak after a last lap battle for victory went the Welshman’s way in race two at Aragon. The Ducati rider recovered from a late error to defeat the reigning champion for the first time this year, closing the gap at the top of the standings to fifty points.
With the new-for-2017 grid rules sending Rea and Davies back to ninth and tenth respectively, the two were expected to find it slightly tougher to dominate the second race in the same way they had yesterday. However, the pair made a mockery of their deficit by slicing their way to the front, Rea passing polesitter Alex Lowes by lap four.
Ultimately, the two would be joined in a three-man breakaway by Marco Melandri but a fastest-lap by Davies two laps from home looked to have settled the matter in his favour. Memories of his race one crash came flooding back though when Chaz suffered a huge moment at turn four, somehow saving the Ducati, but the error brought Rea right back onto his tail.
With the Ducati so strong on the long back straight, Rea’s best hope was to force his way through before exiting turn fifteen but a desperate dive at the tight left-hander didn’t pay off, allowing Davies to claim a much-needed victory. Melandri followed home in a close third while Tom Sykes trailed in fourth on the second Kawasaki.
After a false neutral caused Lowes to crash, falling to thirteenth, Michael van der Mark claimed fifth for Yamaha ahead of Spanish duo Xavi Fores and Jordi Torres. Leandro Mercado was the leading Aprilia rider again, pipping Eugene Laverty to eighth, while Leon Camier salvaged tenth for MV Agusta.
WorldSBK 2017: Spanish Round – Race Two Result
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