Assen WSB: Rea takes first win of 2012

Ten Kate Honda rider Jonathan Rea has taken his first race win of 2012 in drying conditions during the second superbike race at Assen.

The drying conditions meant tyre choice would be critical, with Rea opting for hard slick tyres, which improved towards the end of the race enabling Rea to push through to the front.

Effenbert Liberty Ducati rider Jakub Smrz took the lead at the start and opened up a gap of over four seconds, but the Czech rider was using intermediate tyres, and his pace dropped significantly in the latter stages of the race, enabling race one winner Sylvain Guintoli and Rea through.

Once Rea made it to first place he was able to comfortably pull away from Guintoli

Smrz though looked like he could still secure third place, but he crashed after running on to the astro turf while trying to pass a back marker.

World champion Carlos Checa made a mistake with his tyre choice, opting for full wets both front and rear. Checa pulled in to the pits at the end of lap three to change to slicks after dropping back to last place. He finished 17th.

Tom Sykes was unable to capitalise on his pole position, the Kawasaki rider struggling with the drying conditions and finishing sixth. Fellow Brit Leon Camier finished 14th.

Chaz Davies was battling for a potential podium finish when he crashed at the second turn on lap 12.

1. Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) Honda CBR1000RR 36’45.936
2. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 36’48.755
3. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 36’58.574
4. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 36’58.698
5. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 36’58.700
6. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 37’06.329
7. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) BMW S1000 RR 37’22.253
8. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 37’23.683
9. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 37’27.286
10. Michel Fabrizio (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) BMW S1000 RR 37’29.866
11. John Hopkins (Crescent Fixi Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 37’43.451
12. David Salom (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 38’18.529
13. Hiroshi Aoyama (Honda World Superbike Team) Honda CBR1000RR 38’19.512
14. Leon Camier (Crescent Fixi Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 36’50.679
15. Leandro Mercado (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36’51.166
16. Mark Aitchison (Grillini Progea Superbike Team) BMW S1000 RR 37’03.892
17. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 37’08.183
RT. Lorenzo Zanetti (PATA Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 34’19.554
RT. Jakub Smrz (Liberty Racing Team Effenbert) Ducati 1098R 30’10.158
RT. Chaz Davies (ParkinGO MTC Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 18’38.070
RT. Maxime Berger (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 18’42.162
RT. Brett McCormick (Liberty Racing Team Effenbert) Ducati 1098R 15’33.182
RT. Niccolò Canepa (Red Devils Roma) Ducati 1098R 12’21.167