Davies in control at Imola as Laverty suffers fiery crash

Chaz Davies wins shortened race one after Eugene Laverty's fiery crash

Chaz Davies, Imola, World Superbike [Credit: Gold and Goose]

Chaz Davies has broken Jonathan Rea's momentum in the World Superbike championship with victory in race one at Imola which was ended prematurely by a red flag after a fiery crash for Eugene Laverty.

The Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider looked set to produce a supreme race pace having got away in the lead from pole position before quickly building time gap on the chasing pack. Marco Melandri made a blitzing start on the sister Ducati to jump to second but was slowly reeled in by Rea to re-take second place.

Davies' lead stabilised at around seven seconds at the start of lap 14 but the race was red flagged when Laverty crashed at turn 18.

The Milwaukee Aprilia rider appeared to collided with Pata Yamaha's Alex Lowes which dislodged Laverty's front wheel fairing and was unable to stop the bike so the Northern Irishman jumped off which saw the bike slam into the safety barriers and catch alight.

Laverty was taken to the medical centre as a precaution with race direction investigating the incident and no further action was taken.

With the race declared after 12 laps, Davies won ahead of Rea with Melandri keeping hold of third place from the charging Tom Sykes.

Full WorldSBK race one results from Imola:

1. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 12 laps 
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +6.696s 
3. Marco Melandri ITA Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R +9.287s 
4. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +9.913s 
5. Xavi Fores ESP Barni Ducati 1199R +16.142s 

6. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta RC F4 RR +21.914s 
7. Michael van der Mark NED PATA Yamaha YZF-R1 +24.638s 
8. Alex Lowes GBR PATA Crescent Yamaha R1 +25.792s 
9. Roman Ramos ESP Team Go Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R +34.035s 
10. Stefan Bradl GER Red Bull Honda CBR1000RR SP2 +34.585s 
11. Alex de Angelis SMR Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +39.857s 
12. Lorenzo Savadori ITA Milwaukee Aprilia RSV4 +40.639s 
13. Randy Krummenacher SWI Puccetti Kawasaki ZX-10R +43.089s 
14. Raffaele De Rosa ITA Althea BMW S1000RR +43.560s 
15. Ayrton Badovini ITA Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R +47.289s 

16. Ondrej Jezek CZE Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R +50.389s 

Did not finish 

Eugene Laverty IRE Milwaukee Aprilia RSV4
Nicky Hayden USA Red Bull Honda CBR1000RR SP2
Riccardo Russo ITA Guandalini Yamaha YZF-R1
Leandro Mercado ITA IodaRacing Aprilia RSV4

Did not start 

Jordi Torres ESP Althea BMW S1000RR