Alvaro Bautista would earn a comfortable victory in Sunday's Superpole race at Aragon WSBK.
The Ducati rider would cross the line in splendid isolation, five seconds ahead of six-time world champion Jonathan Rea.
Bautista managed to execute an early pass on defending champion Toprak Razgatlioglu on lap one. While Razgatlioglu and Rea managed to stay in touch with the Ducati rider for a couple of laps, Bautista's superior pace would see him ride off into the distance at a few tenths of a second a lap.
Meanwhile, a titanic three-way battle between Rea, Razgatlioglu and Michael Ruben Rinaldi formed behind. The trio were at times three abreast down the long straights, providing thrilling racing with plenty of overtaking.
Further behind in fifth, Andrea Locatelli was coming under pressure from Alex Lowes towards the end of the race.
On the final lap, Rea eked out a small lead to secure second place as Rinaldi had to focus on defending from a resurgent Razgatlioglu. The pair were side by side around the final corner and the Turkish rider would scream across the line on one wheel, just half a bike ahead of Rinaldi.
SUPERPOLE RACE RESULTS
1. Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.It Racing Ducati 10 Laps
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +5.141s
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR PATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK +6.008s
4. Michael Rinaldi ITA Aruba.It Racing Ducati +6.067s
5. Andrea Locatelli ITA PATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK +7.532s
6. Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +7.623s
7. Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Ducati +8.801s
8. Iker Lecuona SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +10.127s
9. Xavi Vierge SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +11.414s
10. Garrett Gerloff USA GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team +11.476s
11. Eugene Laverty IRL Bonovo Action BMW +13.795s
12. Scott Redding GBR BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team +15.408s
13. Loris Baz FRA Bonovo Action BMW +15.564s
14. Lucas Mahias FRA Puccetti Kawasaki +18.529s
15. Roberto Tamburini ITA Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team +22.786s
16. Philipp Oettl GER GoEleven Ducati +22.818s
17. Luca Bernardi SM Barni Spark Ducati Team +24.011s
18. Kohta Nozane JPN GRT Yamaha +25.367s
19. Gabriele Ruiu ITA Bmax Racing +32.598s
20. Leandro Mercado ARG MIE Honda Racing +32.661s
21. Christophe Ponsson FRA Gil Motor Sport Yamaha +35.858s
22. Hafizh Syahrin MAL MIE Honda Racing +36.361s
23. Oliver Konig CZE Orelac Racing Kawasaki +37.920s
24. Loris Cresson BEL Pedercini Kawasaki +37.980s
25. Ilya Mykhalchyk UKR BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team DNF