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WSBK, Assen, THE NETHERLANDS, 30 april 2017

Rea Wins Race Two From Sykes By Just 0.025 Seconds

A 1-2 finish from KRT Riders Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes in the second Superbike World Championship race of the Assen weekend provided great drama in the final chicane, with Sykes closing in to within 0.025 seconds of victory but Rea holding on to secure another double Dutch success.  

The classic TT Circuit at Assen provided an ideal backdrop for Rea to start the 200th WorldSBK race of his career and he duly took away his seventh race victory of 2017, his 11th at Assen since he started his WorldSBK career and his third double at this 4.542km circuit since he joined Kawasaki in 2015.
 
It was an important day of statistics for Rea, as he also secured his 45th career win in WorldSBK and his 30th individual race win for Kawasaki.
 
Tom Sykes and his crew worked to improve his machine set-up overnight and he almost took his first race win of the year as a reward, only losing out on a last chicane attack on Rea by 0.025 seconds across the line after 21 intense laps.
 
Battling the high winds today like all his peers, Tom duly overcame his continuing physical issues to record two second places at Assen this weekend, making it six podiums from the eight races held so far this season.
 
In the championship Rea now leads by 64 points, from his team-mate Sykes, with Chaz Davies third on 111 points and second race faller Marco Melandri on 97.
 
The next races in the series will take place on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th of May, at the Imola circuit in Italy.
 
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been an incredible weekend of racing. I have been especially happy with Superpole yesterday because the lap I made then was maybe the best lap I have ever made on a bike. I am really proud of that. Of course the race wins were really nice to take away. Today was a race of two halves. In the first half I raced hard until I got a warning so in the second half I just managed things to try and be safe and bring her home. I had a little bit left at the end but the biggest problem was the wind today. I was pulling a gap but then I had a huge front slide in T11, and my foot came off the peg, at mid-race distance. I decided just to ride and save something for the last laps after that. I had a big wobble coming out of 11 again near the end and I then just tried to be clever in the last lap and cover the last corner. My line was probably not the fastest way around there but it covered any move up the inside and I made it to the line first.”
 
Tom Sykes, stated: “It was a very close finish and I have to say thanks to the public, my fans and all the team for being very understanding about my physical condition. Yesterday we had an acceptable race but today we never stopped pushing to find an ideal set-up, right up until 30 minutes before the race started. Marcel and I were still talking about how to get the bike easier for me to ride. Physically, I was obviously not fully comfortable with the bike set-up from yesterday but today I felt we had a package capable of winning. I just did not have the bike in the right place at the right time and did not get the win for that reason. I always kept trying and I am obviously disappointed not to take the win. But considering where I was even at the start of the race week, if anybody had have offered me two second places from Assen I would have thought it was never going to happen.”
 
2017 KRT Rider Statistics
Jonathan Rea: World Champion 2015 and 2016
2017: Races 8, Wins 7, Podiums 8, Superpoles 3
Career Race Wins: 45 (30 for Kawasaki)
Career Podiums: 96 (54 For Kawasaki)
Career Poles: 11 (7 For Kawasaki)
 
Tom Sykes: World Champion 2013
2017: Races: 8, Wins 0, Podiums 6, Superpoles 0
Career Race Wins: 31 (31 for Kawasaki)
Career Podiums: 90 (89 For Kawasaki)
Career Poles: 38 (38 For Kawasaki)
 
Kawasaki FIM Superbike World Championship Statistics
4 x Riders’ Championships (Scott Russell 1993, Sykes 2013, Rea 2015 & 2016), 1 x EVO Riders’ Championship (David Salom 2014)
2 x Manufacturers’ Championships (Ninja ZX-10R 2015 & 2016)
2 x Teams’ Championships (KRT/Provec Racing 2015 & 2016)
 
Kawasaki FIM Superbike World Championship Statistics
Total Kawasaki Race Wins: 98 – third overall
Total Kawasaki Podiums: 321 – third overall
Total Kawasaki Poles: 66 – second overall