Lowes takes maiden World Superbike win as Rea, Sykes clash

Full World Superbike race two results from Brno

Alex Lowes has clinched a long-awaited first World Superbike race win while Kawasaki teammates Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes collided on track.

After Rea claimed a historic 60^th career win in race one, surpassing Carl Fogarty’s all-time record, further drama followed which saw Lowes take his first victory in the series with Pata Yamaha teammate Michael van der Mark in second place to hand the Japanese manufacturer its first 1-2 result since 2011.

But the drama really unfolded behind the front-runners on the opening laps, when on lap three Rea and Sykes appeared to tangle during their charge up the field from the reversed race two grid.

Rea had dived up the inside of Sykes battling for position before running slightly wide which saw Sykes cut back with the pair clashing on corner exit which sent Rea off into the gravel trap.

While Sykes was able to continue, with race direction confirming no action would be taken after investigating the incident during the race, the Kawasaki rider then tipped off three laps later having lost rear grip. Sykes remounted but could only finish 16^th place.

Further poor fortunate fell on Marco Melandri who looked strong favourite for victory after Rea dropped out but the Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider outbraked himself at Turn 3 to run into the gravel just two corners after taking the lead from Lowes.

With Melandri dropping down the order, it provided Lowes with a prime opportunity to storm to a maiden World Superbike race win and he produced a flawless performance to keep clear of Yamaha teammate van der Mark.

With a number of front-runners out, factory Ducati’s Chaz Davies rescued a podium in third place from a difficult race weekend at Brno while Milwaukee Aprilia enjoyed its strongest race results of the year with Eugene Laverty leading home teammate Lorenzo Savadori to take fourth and fifth respectively.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi claimed sixth place for the Aruba.it Racing Ducati junior team ahead of Red Bull Honda’s Leon Camier.

Barni Ducati’s Xavi Fores held on to ninth place after a late attack from Puccetti Kawasaki’s Toprak Razgatlioglu as Team GoEleven Kawasaki’s Roman Ramos completed the top ten.

Loris Baz secured a solid 11^th place for Althea BMW in front of Red Bull Honda’s Jake Gagne and TripleM Honda’s PJ Jacobsen as Yonny Hernandez (Pedercini Kawasaki) and Melandri rounded out the points places.