World Superbikes: Jonathan Rea crashes out of second race as weekend ends in misery at Mandalika in Indonesia

The World Superbike star slid off at Turn 7 in Race Two and was taken to the medical centre for a precautionary check-up.

The race had been restarted over a shortened distance of 14 laps after BMW’s Michael van der Mark and Philipp Oettl (Team Go Eleven Ducati) were involved in a red flag incident at Turn 11 at the start of lap eight.

Six-time champion Rea was running in fifth place when he ran wide at the fast right-hander and slid into the gravel.

Rea also crashed in the earlier Superpole sprint race but was granted another opportunity to take part in the restarted eight-lap race when the red flags came out shortly afterwards.

His Kawasaki Racing team-mate, Alex Lowes, plus Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Ducati) were also involved in an incident at Turn 2 at the start of the first lap. Frenchman Baz sustained fractures to his right leg and ankle.

Rea’s crash happened at the same corner a lap later.

The Ballyclare man regrouped to finish fourth, gaining some vital points after he finished in a lowly ninth in Saturday’s opening race.

Turkey’s Toprak Razgatlioglu, a treble winner in Indonesia last year, sealed victory in the Superpole race by 1.1s as Andrea Locatelli completed a one-two for Pata Yamaha. Lowes – also able to restart the race after being involved in the earlier incident – rounded out the rostrum in third.

Championship leader Alvaro Bautista’s winning run came to an abrupt halt when he crashed at the midway point on the Aruba.it Ducati. The Spaniard had been demoted to third when he was overtaken by Rea at Turn 12.

Rea survived a massive slide following the pass on the exit of the corner while Bautista also had a huge moment of his own, which he was unable to save. The Ducati rider went down, with Locatelli taking full advantage of the drama ahead of him to seize second spot.

Lowes picked off Rea in the closing stages to secure the final place on the podium. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing Ducati) and Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) completed the top six.

Bautista bounced back to clinch his fifth win from six races in 2023 after battling with team-mate Michael Ruben Rinaldi in Race Two.

Rinaldi, who had crashed out of Saturday’s first race, set the pace as Bautista and Razgatlioglu became embroiled in a fight for second.

Bautista gradually reeled in his team-mate made his move for the lead at Turn 10 on lap 13 of the reduced 14-lap race.

A dejected Rinaldi ran wide on the last lap, allowing Razgatlioglu and Honda rider Vierge to slip past, with the Italian – seventh in the Superpole race – having to settle for fourth in the end. Locatelli and Petrucci were the top six.

After two rounds, Bautista now leads the championship by 37 points from Razgatlioglu, who has moved ahead of Locatelli by five points.

Rea has dropped to sixth behind Rinaldi and is 68 points down on reigning champion Bautista.

Assen hosts round three from April 21-23.