---
title: "Rea wins dramatic Saturday encounter in Assen"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/04/29/rea-wins-dramatic-saturday-encounter-in-assen/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "SBK"
published: "2017-04-29T11:57:46Z"
modified: "2017-04-29T15:48:27Z"
---

# Rea wins dramatic Saturday encounter in Assen

Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea extended his lead in the championship standings to 59 points in the opening encounter of the Dutch World Superbike weekend, after Chaz Davies was forced out by a late technical drama.

Controversy preceded Saturday’s race, as Rea had his pole position revoked and was dropped to fourth spot after he blocked Davies on the Ducati rider’s final flying lap in Superpole.

![](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/04/ea6ac63e-3c40-4226-a9f1-a58a16f48cd7-1.jpg)

This promoted Tom Sykes to pole, but it was Davies who took the holeshot, whilst Rea wasted no time in working his way up to second. The Northern Irishman whittled down Davies’ eight tenths gap fairly quickly in the early stages, the pair exchanging lap records in the process, and another titanic scrap between the pair soon ensued.

Much like in Aragon, Rea was able to reel in Davies using the ZX-10RR’s superior agility, whilst Davies kept him at bay with the Panigale’s excellent mid-corner speed. Rea fainted a move into the final chicane on a number of occasions, but Davies remained in command.

Rea then tried to get pass the Ducati rider at the fast left kink of Turn 14, Davies immediately striking back into the final corner, however. The Kawasaki rider made a move stick at Turn 4 on the penultimate lap, Davies keeping him right in his sights.

![](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/04/untitled-2-904x604-1.png)

The Welshman tried to retake the lead into the final corner once again, but was forced to park up due to a mechanical problem, allowing Rea free passage to secure his 10th victory in Holland.

> Twitter: LAST LAP BATTLE ends with frustration for @ArubaRacing Team after @chazdavies7 got a technical problem ![](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2.2.1/svg/1f628.svg) #Disaster… https://t.co/b7EwkDDLqr (@WorldSBK)

Sykes was able to keep the two ahead at arms length for much of the 21-lap contest despite suffering from fatigue due to illness. The Yorkshireman took the chequered flag in second, with Marco Melandri lucking into a podium in third having been massively off the pace in fourth for most of the race.

Xavi Fores crossed the line in a comfortable fourth spot, which will see the Spaniard start on pole for tomorrow’s outing. Lorenzo Savadori fought his way through from ninth in the early stages to finish fifth ahead of Honda’s Stefan Bradl, who came from 16th on the grid.

Roman Ramos took his best result of the year in seventh with an opportunistic move into the final corner on Tati Mercado and Eugene Laverty. MV Agusta’s Leon Camier completed the top 10, with Randy Krummenacher, Alex De Angelis, Raffaelle De Rosa, Nicky Hayden and Ayrton Badovini taking the remaining points.

Saturday proved a nightmare day for Pata Yamaha. Michael van der Mark was punted wide at Turn 1 by team-mate Alex Lowes at the start, the Dutchman dropping to 14th as a result. Whilst trying to recover lost ground, van der Mark crashed on the third lap, Lowes falling off seven laps later too.

![](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/04/2017-04-29-3-904x509.png)