WorldSBK Magny-Cours Race 2 Results: Rea wins title after Bautista DNF

Jonathan Rea is a World Superbike Champion for a fifth consecutive time after victory in the final WorldSBK race at Magny-Cours, coupled to a crash for Alvaro Bautista, was everything he needed to put the title out of his rival’s reach.

The Ulsterman needed a win and hope Bautista didn’t score to give him the minimum 125-point buffer heading to Argentina to ensure there was no possible comeback for the Spaniard. 

However, with Bautista starting fifth and Race 1 and Superpole Race winner Toprak Razgatlioglu on pole, it appeared Rea would have had his work cut out to achieve his feat on European soil.

Nevertheless, the pathway cleared in dramatic circumstances when Razgatlioglu, having slipped to fourth on lap one when a huge wobble under braking for the Adelaide hairpin unsettled him, was fighting back past Bautista for third on lap two, only to lose the rear of his Kawasaki and come off the throttle. 

Bautista, attempting to cut back up the inside, was caught out and clipped the back of his rival, sending them both down heavily and forcing both to retire. Click here to read main story - Jonathan Rea crowned World Superbike Champion for a historic fifth time

With one part of the objective fulfilled, Rea just needed to clinch the victory but he was made to work very hard by Michael van der Mark, the pair trading passes repeatedly up until lap 12 when Rea made a definitive move stick and begin gapping the Dutchman.

Holding his nerve in the final lap, Rea’s 12th win means he becomes the first rider in history to win five WorldSBK title, putting him clear of fellow four-time champion Carl Fogarty.

Bruising end to breakthrough weekend for Razgatlioglu

van der Mark held on for second place, resisting the attentions of Alex Lowes, who did a mighty job of closing down a two-second margin to the leaders, but fall just short of being able to attempt a pass.

Nonetheless, it gives some breathing room for the pair in the fight for third overall after Razgatlioglu, whose two wins had put him on the cusp of passing the pair, crashed out. Ironically, the Turk is widely expected to be replacing Lowes at Yamaha for the 2020 WorldSBK season.

Though overshadowed by Rea’s win, a triple success for Kawasaki helps it move clear of Ducati in the manufacturers’ reckoning, not least after Chaz Davies could only collect points for fourth. The Japanese marque is now 34 points ahead with two rounds remaining.

A strong end ot the weekend for Yamaha, Loris Baz and Marco Melandri made it four R1s inside the top six, the latter recording his best finish since Jerez, while Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes faded back to seventh and eighth.

Leon Camier produced his second top ten finish of his comeback weekend – his first event since May – ahead of Jordi Torres, Leandro Mercado and Eugene Laverty. Sylvain Barrier scored his and Brixx Ducati’s first points of the season in 13th, with Ryuichi Kiyonari and Markus Reiterberger picking up the final digits.

French WorldSBK Race 2 Results