WITH a perfect start to the race weekend at Donington Park scoring BMW's first ever 1-2 finish, race two was a complete opposite as Leon Haslam collected team-mate Marco Melandri at the final corner of the second race.
After three years of trying for their first World Superbike win, Marco Melandri lead a BMW 1-2 finish in the first race at Donington Park. The German manufacturer was looking on-form to complete a perfect weekend of racing with a double win for the Bavarian team and a home win for Haslam, when a pass from Rea pushed his rival Briton into his Italian team-mate - Leon remounted to finish 15th and Melandri ended with a DNF.
After the race Haslam said: "Right now I just want to forget race 2. I feel a bit frustrated because I was going for my first win for BMW Motorrad – at my home round, but we were denied that well deserved victory. The crash was not my fault at all… Anyway, that’s racing, and we’re now looking forward to the next round."
Race one winner, Melandri added: "I am disappointed with the result of the second race. I was trying to pass Leon in the final corner, although I knew it would be difficult but I am a racer and I had to try. I ran a little wide and expected Leon to pass me back – finishing second would have been ok for me. Then Leon was hit and he crashed. His bike hit me and I crashed too. I feel sorry for both of us but that’s racing."
Click here for results and highlights for race one and race two at Donington Park.
