Alvaro Bautista Czech WorldSBK crash a “racing accident” - Jonathan Rea

Contact between Jonathan Rea and Alvaro Bautista saw both riders affected, and two others involved, but for Jonathan Rea it was just a “racing accident”.

The six-time World Superbike Champion was given a double long lap penalty for the crash, which left Bautista out of the race and also collected Xavi Vierge, who has a suspected fracture in his right foot.

Alex Lowes was also forced to take avoiding action and was back to 20th on the first lap having started seventh.

Rea said after the race that the incident was just a case of him and Bautista committing to the same part of the track.

“For me it was a racing accident,” Rea told WorldSBK.com.

“We [Rea and Bautista] both committed to the exact same piece of [asphalt] and of course there was an impact.

“I was the culprit and it ended his race – I’m sorry for that, I went to see Alvaro [Bautista] straight after the race and also Xavi Vierge who got caught up in the accident as well, who came off a little bit worse physically, and offered my apologies.

“But, for me, it’s racing. I had my race as well, it’s just really unfortunate. I’m gutted for those guys that it compromised their race, and also Alex Lowes who had to take avoiding action.”

Rea added that the number of incidents seen at the first two corners at Most shows that changes should be made to the section.

“So, frustrating, but we know that this is Most,” Rea said.

“[We need to] try to find some suggestions, or something to make it a little bit easier; maybe starting a bit closer to turn one could be a good idea for the future because almost all the races this weekend had some sort of drama in turn one, and unfortunately I was involved in this race.”

Rea had also had good starts in the opening two races of the weekend, and said in Race 2 he was just following the same “strategy”.

“The strategy was the same as in the first two races because I came out of turn two in good track position from P14 [on the grid] – I think P6 in Race 1 and even better in the Superpole Race,” he said.

“So, it was just a case of using that same strategy, running over that inside kerb, taking more action to stay right and getting the cutback on the carnage to the left. Unfortunately, in the long race it didn’t work out.”

Bautista: “Not the best of luck”

For Alvaro Bautista, the incident was bad luck, and after several incidents in the first chicane at Most in previous years, and even in this year’s Race 1, he confessed to not having “a good relationship” with the opening corners of the Czech track.

“For sure, not the best of luck, but at the end it was not a matter of luck because it [involved] other riders,” Bautista told WorldSBK.com.

“So, the bad luck was to me but if it wasn’t to me then it would be to another rider.

“The first chicane here is critical, [so] it could happen.

“Unfortunately, this year it happened to me twice, but also last year it happened to me twice as well, so it seems like the first chicane and me don’t have a good relationship. Anyway, I’m physically okay, that’s the most important thing.”