Rea disappointed Davies scrap didn’t go to the wire

Assen race one winner Jonathan Rea has expressed his disappointment in being denied a last-lap duel with rival Chaz Davies due to a late technical issue for the Ducati rider.

Rea came into Saturday’s running as the man to beat after topping Friday’s combined times and posting some incredibly strong race runs in practice. The Northern Irishman obliterated the Assen lap record for pole, but was demoted to fourth for blocking Davies at the end of SP2.

Twitter: All about what happened in Superpole2 between @chazdavies7 and @jonathanrea in #DutchWorldSBK in the Video below ️… https://t.co/772ucqNq1S (@WorldSBK)

The pair exchanged words in parc ferme directly after the incident, and traded blows during the 21-lap encounter in the afternoon. The pair ran line astern for much of the race, Rea taking the lead at Turn 4 on the penultimate lap.

Davies tried to retake the lead into the final chicane, but encountered a technical issue and was forced to park up. Rea felt this an unfitting end to what had been a titanic battle.

“After the last six or seven laps I tried to plot a move to go through and to make a rhythm, but it was unfortunate for him; after I passed him in Turn 3 he had a problem,” said Rea.

“It was unfortunate it didn’t go down to the last lap, but I am really happy with our effort and to have another 25 points.”

Davies’ demise has allowed Rea to open up his championship advantage to 75 points over the fourth-placed Ducati rider, and to 59 over team-mate Tom Sykes in second.

Rea’s win today also marks his 10^th at the TT Circuit Assen, putting him just two away from Carl Fogarty’s longstanding record. Repeatedly asked as to why he is so strong at the Dutch venue, the Kawasaki rider can offer no real explanation, other than it is a track he is extremely fond of.

“I’m really happy, I’ve had so many questions over the weekend asking why I’ve won so many here and I don’t know why,” he added.

“It’s just a circuit I really like, it suits my riding style a bit and to make it happen here again is great – especially when we had a really good pace in the beginning.”