Rea makes it a stellar double; Brookes in 9th

World champion Jonathan Rea has completed a stunning double in the opening round of the 2016 Motul Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island by winning this afternoon’s second 22-lap race.

The Kawasaki pilot defeated Honda’s Michael van der Mark and Ducati’s Davide Giugliano to complete the clean sweep, while it was a disaster for Chaz Davies (Ducati) who crashed on the final lap while trying to pass Rea under brakes at turn four.

Davies remounted and finished in 10th position, a fastest lap of 1:31.321 for the race scant consolations for what could have been.

American Nicky Hayden finished in fourth from Sylvain Guintoli (Yamaha), Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) and BMW Motorrad trio Jordi Torres, Markus Reiterberger and Aussie Josh Brookes.

Rea’s perfect score was the first at Phillip Island’s WorldSBK round since Spaniard Carlos Checa in 2011, and just like yesterday he alighted from his factory ZX-10R around the back of the circuit and celebrated with his local mates.

The man from Northern Ireland has now joined Colin Edwards on 31 WorldSBK wins, and the next ‘target’ is Aussie legend Troy Corser who was a 33-time winner in his stellar career.

After round one of the 14-round championship, Rea leads the on 50 points from van der Mark (36), Giugliano (29), Davies (26), Guintoli (21) and Sykes (21). Brookes is in ninth position on 13 points after his 10-9 results.

Unlike yesterday’s opener when Rea spent most time out front, today it was the turn of Sykes who led until lap 11 before overcooking it at turn four and dropping back to fourth. The planets weren’t aligning for Sykes who then had a minor touch with Giugliano at the same corner on lap 16, and from that point he was unable to get back in touch with the ladders.

At one stage there was a seven-bike freight train out front, with Giugliano the ‘odd’ man out — he’s the only one without a road racing world championship to his name.

But as the pressure rose near the end of the race, it again came down to a three-way stoush between Rea, Davies and van der Mark — until Davies cooked his goose at turn four.

Australia’s second rider, Mike Jones (Ducati), crashed at turn four on lap 12 while in 14th position.

Round two of the championship is in Thailand from March 11-13.

WORLD SBK – Race 2 results – Phillip Island (round one)