Alvaro Bautista regains the championship lead after winn꧙ing a drama-filled Assen World Superbike race that saw Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea take each other out.

Starting from pole for race two, Rea had a disastrous lunch as he went back to fifth. Not for the🔯 first time this weekend it was Razgatlioglu who led into turn one from team-mate Andrea Locatelli. 

Bautista kept hold of P3 while Ike🅘r Lecuona made a good start as he went from fifth to fourth. 

There was a big off for ౠGRT ꦬYamaha rider Kohta Nozane as the Japanese rider crashed at turn one. 

Anoth🥂er accident took place on la𝔉p two as Philipp Oettl and Loris Baz crashed after tangling at turn eight. 

A double overtake took place at the beginn𒆙ing of lap three as Bautista took൩ P2 off Locatelli, as did Rea on Lecuona for fourth. 

An immediate challenge for the lead then too🎐k place at the final chicane as Bautista tried to get through on Razgatlioglu under braking. The Ducati 🐷rider got a poor exit which allowed the world champion to get back ahead. 

Instead of getting the lead, Bautista was then relegated to third by Rea who was next to t꧟ry his luck at Razg♈atlioglu. 

Rea and Razgatlioglu fail to finish after World Superbike race two clash

Eager to make it three wins from three, Rea began challenging Razgatlioglu along the start-finish straight. But in typical fashion Razgatlioglu he🅰ld firm under braking before running slightly wide. 

This gave Rea a huge 🥀chance to take the lead, and as he attempted to do so, the two made contact and went down. Although Rea appeared to have the racing line, Razgatlioglu was still on-track which inevitably led to tw⛄o riders wanting one piece of tarmac.

This gave Bautista 🐈the lead and a massive opportunity to take his first win of the weeken🤡d. 

And the ಌSpaniard did just that as he pulled away from Lecuona and Locatelli with ease.

With Bautista out front by over six seconds and taking back the championship lead from Rea, the battle forꦛ second intensified as four tenths separated Lecuona and Locaꦅtelli. 

Locatelli made his way up to second with four laps to go as Lecuona was unable🎀 to respond, therefore settling the top three.𒀰 

Assen World Superbike Records

All-time lap record - Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Yamaha 1:32.934s (2022)

Fastest Race lap - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki 1:34.545s (2022)

Most wins - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki (17)

2021 Winners 

Race One - Jonathan Rea 

Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea 

Race Two - Jonathan Rea 

2022 Winners 

Race One - Jonathan Rea

Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea 

Jonathan Rea makes history after winning 100 World Superbike races with the same manufacturer 

Starting from pole for the fourth time in𒁃 five World Superbike races this season, Razgatlioglu made a brilliant start as did Bautista who went from fifth to second. 

Hoping to make swift progress following a disastrous race one, Michael Rinaldi clipped the rear of Rea on the entry to turn five. It’s contact that did nothing to deter Rea who made his way p👍ast team-mate Alex Lowes for P3 tw💞o turns later. 

Setting a very hot pace out front, Razgatlioglu was making it hard for Bautiཧsta and Rea to get close. 

That all changed on lap three as Bautista used the Panigale✱ V4 R’s lovely turning to close in on the world champion.

Andrea Locatelli, who lost fifth to Rinaldi on lap one, regained that place with seven laps to g🎃o, while Lowes began to drop back from the top three.  

Tantalisingly close, Bautisꦆta and Rea were doing everything to make a move, however, Razgatlioglu was 🐷holding strong. 

But with three and a bit laps to go Bautista produced a stunning move heading into turn seven to take the lead, while Rea did the sa﷽me to the Yamaha man two corners later for second.

After leading the last four and a half laps, Bautiꦗsta was passed by Rea into turn seven, and although a late charge was put down by the Ducati rider, Rea once again held strong into the final chicane. 

Alex Lowes suffered a late issue which resulted in him m💃issing out on a ✱second consecutive points scoring finish. 

As throttles began being twisted in anticipation for lights o🌳ut, Gabriele Ruiu was seen 🏅waving his hands towards the back of the grid, leading to a delayed start. 

The Superpole race w🏅as then reduced from ten to nine laps. 

Round two of the 2022 World Superbike championship is taking place without Belgian rider Loris Cresson, as Pedercini Kawasaki announced an immediateꦅ split before the weekend due to a failure to fulfil financial agreements on Cresson’s side. 

Cresson, who was initially signed through to the end of 2022, 𝓰was set for a second full season in Superbikes before the termination of his contract on Wednesday. 

It means BSB rider Leon Haslam, who was already scheduled to take part in four wildcard rounds with the team this season was drafted in for FP1 and thus, the remainder of the Assen event. Haslam and Pedercini🐻 have already agreed to increase his participa🔯tion in the 2022 championship, but exactly how many rounds Haslam will do is yet to be confirmed. 

Eugene Laverty will officially take no further part in the weekend after suff൲ering a big highside in FP1. The Bonovo Action BMW rider attempted to ride in FP3 before m🏅issing Superpole.