WSBK: Redding Doubles Up with Race 2 Victory in Jerez

Scott Redding claimed his second win of the weekend and his sixth consecutive podium of the season in Race 2 in Jerez.

The rookie led for the majority of the 20-lap race and controlled his advantage out front. Behind him Chaz Davies took his first podium of the year and secured Ducati’s first one-two finish since 2012. Toprak Razgatlioglu completed the rostrum in third.

Scorching temperatures at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto caused many riders to struggle for grip. Particularly reigning world champion Jonathan Rea had visible trouble controlling the front of his Kawasaki.

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) had a dream start from pole and took the holeshot at the lights. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) and Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) were side by side going into the first corner with Redding getting the better off his Yamaha rival. Van der Mark got subsequently ruffled by Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) and Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) and dropped positions.

Starting from 10^th, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) catapulted himself up the order and was third by the end of the first lap. Redding overtook Rea at the final corner and the duo led from Razgatlioglu, Davies, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), Baz and van der Mark when the pack crossed the line.

Redding was not wasting time on the second lap and swiftly built an advantage over Rea. The second Ducati of Davies was in equally fine form and the Welshman moved past Razgatlioglu into third with 18 laps to go.

On the fourth lap Davies was in touching distance of Rea and put increasing pressure on the reigning world champion. Further behind Lowes made up positions and was closing in on Razgatlioglu ahead of him while Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GoEleven) moved up the field and broke into the top 10.

With 16 laps remaining Davies lined up his move on Rea and executed it perfectly. He dived down the inside of the Kawasaki going into Turn 9 and claimed second to make it a Ducati 1-2 at the front.

Rea looked to be struggling with front tyre grip and fell into the clutches of Razgatlioglu and Lowes. On the sixth lap Razgatlioglu briefly overtook Rea at Turn 5 but as Lowes tried to pounce and move past as well in Turn 6, he outbraked himself, obstructed Razgatlioglu, and Rea was back leading the group. The Kawasaki and the Yamaha were swapping paint throughout the final sectors, but Rea managed to stay in front.

Baz’ race meanwhile was over at the end of lap six when he lost the front at the final corner. Though he was able to rejoin, a top 10 finish was lost.

Razgatlioglu kept challenging Rea and took third off him on the eighth lap. Still struggling with the front, the Kawasaki rider was now under intense pressure from his teammate Lowes. Behind them Rinaldi was flying in on van der Mark in sixth. The pair were exchanging punches, van der Mark unwilling to give up the position but Rinaldi having the superior pace. With 12 laps to go the Italian got past the Yamaha and swiftly started to hunt down the Kawasakis ahead.

Out front Davies was now running quicker than Redding and briefly reduced the gap. The championship leader however responded to his teammates’ pace and looked in full control in the lead. Behind the Ducatis Razgatlioglu had broken away from Rea and Lowes, running in a safe third place. The Kawasakis though were now struggling to keep Rinaldi behind them.

The pace of the Ducati prevailed and on lap 13 Rinaldi ran a tight line under Lowes at Turn 5 and moved past into 5^th. Rea was his next target and Rinaldi attacked ferociously. The Independent rider was virtually ahead of his opponent three times but Rea fought back until Rinaldi finally made a move stick going into the final corner on the 14^th lap.

While the first four positions looked settled, the battle between the Kawasakis in fifth and sixth intensified. With four laps to go Lowes dived down Rea’s inside and managed to stop his bike in front. Rea was not giving up, but he failed to challenge his teammate.

Redding crossed the finish line first for his second victory of the weekend just over three seconds ahead of Davies who brought a Ducati 1-2 home. Razgatlioglu completed the podium in third.

Rinaldi was top Independent rider in fourth ahead of Lowes and Rea while van der Mark finished in a lonely seventh behind them. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) was eighth ahead of Marco Melandri (Barni Racing Team) and Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) who rounded out the top 10.

Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finished 11^th with Leon Haslam (Team HRC) and Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) behind him. Sandro Cortese (Outdo Kawasaki TPR) beat Leandro Mercado (Motocorsa Racing) who took the final point available in 15^th.

Outside the points ranks Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) was 16^th ahead of Baz. Maximilian Scheib (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) and Lorenzo Gabellini (MIE Racing Althea Honda Team) were last to finish the race.

Sylvain Barrier (Brixx Performance), Christophe Ponsson (Nuova M2 Racing), Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Takumi Takahashi (MIE Racing Althea Honda Team) all recorded DNFs.

Redding leaves Jerez leading the championship by 24 points over Rea with Lowes who moved up into third a further two points behind.