Jonathan Rea claims World Superbike podium double at Motorland Aragon after runner-up finish in Superpole race

The Kawasaki rider, third in the first race, lost out to reigning world champion Alvaro Bautista, who came through from third to first on the last lap.

Spain’s Bautista made amends after crashing twice on Saturday, allowing Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu – who finished second behind Michael Ruben Rinaldi. to close the deficit by 30 points to 37.

Razgatlioglu finished third in the Superpole race as the leading trio were covered by three-tenths-of-a-second.

Ulsterman Rea, who will join the Pata Yamaha team in 2024 after a long and successful association with Kawasaki, led for the first half of the 10-lap race until Bautista threw down his challenge.

The leaders continued to trade blows as they swapped places, with Razgatlioglu keeping a watching brief in third.

Razgatlioglu moved up to second past Bautista, but the championship leader put together a stunning final lap, passing Razgatlioglu at Turn 5 before taking the lead from Rea at Turn 16 after the six-time champion ran slightly wide a few corners beforehand.

Bautista sealed his 52nd career World Superbike victory with Rea claiming his 26th podium in 26 races at Aragon for a new all-time record of rostrums at a single circuit.

It was also a ninth podium in a row for Rea, who now holds a safe third in the championship.

Bautista’s win put him 42 points ahead of Razgatlioglu before the final race of the weekend at Aragon.

Pata Yamaha’s Andrea Locatelli finished the Superpole race in fourth, some five seconds down on Bautista, with Saturday winner Rinaldi and Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) completing the top six.