Jonathan Rea 'so frustrated' after high-speed crash in opening World Superbike race at Phillip Island

Jonathan Rea endured a frustrating start to the 2020 World Superbike Championship as the Northern Ireland rider failed to score any points after crashing out at high speed at Phillip Island in Australia.
By Kyle White
Published 29th Feb 2020, 12:00 BST
Updated 29th Feb 2020, 18:21 BST
World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea crashed out of the opening race of the season at Phillip Island in Australia.World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea crashed out of the opening race of the season at Phillip Island in Australia.
World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea crashed out of the opening race of the season at Phillip Island in Australia.

The reigning five-time champion, who qualified in third place on the front row, was leading the race on the first lap until he was forced into the gravel at Lukey Heights after a coming together with pole man and BMW Motorrad rider Tom Sykes.

Rea somehow managed to re-join the race in 18th and last position and the Kawasaki Racing Team rider began to regroup, but disaster struck when he crashed out at more than 100mph at the Hayshed corner five laps later, fortunately escaping injury.

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In a breath-taking race, victory went to Toprak Razgatlioglu on the Pata Yamaha by just seven thousandths of a second from Rea’s team-mate, Alex Lowes. Ducati’s Scott Redding edged past Michael van der Mark on the run to the line to snatch third on his World Superbike race debut as the top four were covered by 0.137s at the line in the second closest podium result in the history of the series.

Pata Yamaha's Toprak Razgatlioglu won the first World Superbike race of the season at Phillip Island on his debut for the Pata Yamaha team.Pata Yamaha's Toprak Razgatlioglu won the first World Superbike race of the season at Phillip Island on his debut for the Pata Yamaha team.
Pata Yamaha's Toprak Razgatlioglu won the first World Superbike race of the season at Phillip Island on his debut for the Pata Yamaha team.

A disappointed Rea, who claimed his last victories at Phillip Island in 2017, is now aiming to hit back in Sunday’s Superpole sprint race and the second full-distance races.

“I am just so frustrated because after what happened in the first lap, being put back there. I felt I was making good ground,” said Rea.

“I felt great with the bike and I was coming up on Rinaldi and setting him up for a pass. I went really wide at the Hayshed as he opened up and started losing the front on the bumps. I am relatively OK, aside from being under the bike for a while so I burned some of my leg. Frustrating to start the year like that but there are a lot of battles left and we have tomorrow,” he added.

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“The good thing is that I felt good with the bike. The sprint race will be flat to the mat for ten laps. I am sure I can be in that leading battle and keep my powder dry for that last lap.”

Leon Haslam finished fifth ahead of his Team HRC team-mate Alvaro Bautista, with Loris Baz (Ten Kate Yamaha) the top independent rider in seventh.

Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Ducati) was eighth, with long-time race leader Sykes crossing the line in ninth. Michael Ruben Rinaldi completed the top 10.

Northern Ireland’s Eugene Laverty was 11th as he made his race debut for the BMW Motorrad team.

The Superpole race is scheduled for 01:00 GMT on Sunday with race two at 04:00 GMT.

Related topics:Jonathan ReaNorthern IrelandAustraliaAlex LowesEugene Laverty

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