Bautista wins in Assen as Rea and Razgatlioglu crash out

An eventful Race 2 at WSBK Assen saw Alvaro Bautista claim the honours while Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatliolglu took each other out of the race.

Pole-sitter Rea suffered a poor start and slipped to fifth at the end of the opening lap. However, it was contrasting fortunate for Razgatlioglu, who came up from second on the grid to lead the race in the opening laps, pursued by PATA Yamaha teammate Andrea Locatelli.

Bautista worked his way into second and even led the race through the final chicane, but Razgatlioglu won his place back after a better exit. Read then pipped Bautista and set his sights on the Turkish rider.

After almost making his move stick at the end of the main straight, Razgatlioglu ran slightly wide and Rea took what he thought was his chance at Turn 2, but two bikes can't occupy the same piece of tarmac and the rivals collided. The duo spiralled off the track and out of the race, leaving a surprised Bautista with a clear racetrack in front of him.

The Spaniard sped off in splendid isolation to claim his third race win of the season and reduce Rea's lead in the riders' championship to five points.

Behind Bautista, Locatelli would catch and pass Iker Lecuona for second place while the Honda rider held on for third ahead of Alex Lowes.

RESULTS

1 Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.It Racing Ducati 21 Laps

2 Andrea Locatelli ITA PATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK +8.877s

3 Iker Lecuona SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +11.580s

4 Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +13.329s

5 Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Ducati +14.490s

6 Scott Redding GBR BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team +14.672s

7 Michael Rinaldi ITA Aruba.It Racing Ducati +23.374s

8 Michael Van Der Mark NED BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team +28.511s

9 Xavi Vierge SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +29.067s

10 Lucas Mahias FRA Puccetti Kawasaki +29.434s

11 Roberto Tamburini ITA Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team +36.810s

12 Christophe Ponsson FRA Gil Motor Sport Yamaha +36.814s

13 Leon Haslam GBR Pedercini Kawasaki +37.000s

14 Luca Bernardi SM Barni Spark Ducati Team +38.862s

15 Leandro Mercado ARG MIE Honda Racing +41.674s

16 Gabriele Ruiu ITA Bmax Racing +51.525s

17 Hafizh Syahrin MAL MIE Honda Racing +51.382s

18 Oliver Konig CZE Orelac Racing Kawasaki +1 Lap

19 Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK DNF

20 Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR PATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK DNF

21 Kohta Nozane JPN GRT Yamaha DNF

22 Philipp Oettl GER GoEleven Ducati DNF

23 Loris Baz FRA Bonovo Action BMW DNF

24 Garrett Gerloff USA GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team DNF