After the Ducati rider took victory in race one, Sunday morning’s Superpole race present🔯ed Rea with his best chance at beating the WorldSBK championship leader.

And that’s exactly what happened as Bautista was instead embroiled in a battle with team-mate Michael Ruben Rinaldi for third. 🥃However, the problem for the six-time champion was that Razgatlioglu, the most in-form WorldSBK rider since Donington Park was standing in his🐎 way. 

It appeared as though a relatively easy win was coming the Yamaha rider’s w♊ay after he created a gap of around one second, b൲ut with four laps remaining Rea began finding more pace than the reigning champion. 

As the two riders began th🌌e penultimate lap, Razgatlioglu’s lead was no longer a significant one as Rea instead made his first move for the lead. To no surprise, Razgatlioglu came straight back at Rea which led to a last lap fight. 

Faster than Razgatlioglu in sector three, Rea was setting up a move heading into turn 15 before a very defensive line was taken by the Turkish star. It meant Rea was compromised ꦡcoming into the corner and thus was unable to get his ZX10-RR stopped in time. 

"The Superpole race was going well and I had pretty goo⛦d rhythm," said Rea. "On the last lap I knew I had felt strong in turn 15 during the race, compared to Toprak, but he did a completely different line than the other laps. 

• 2022 World Superbike Autodrom Most, Czech Repu🌳blic - Race Results (2)

"He was on the defensive, with his leg off the footpeg. I tried to miss his foot and I went inside, and of course had to compromise my own line. There was enough gravel💜 to slow me down, rejoin and keep my position. 

"I enjoyed the fight and we improved the🌺 braking compared♒ to yesterday." 

Race two ‘a mess’ for the WorldSBK legend in opening two laps

Despite a shocking start which saw Rea engulfed by four riders before even arriving at turn one, the Kawasaki rider fought back to take the lead just a few laps 💃later.

But with Razgatlioglu an☂d Bautista able to save more rear tyre, add to that🐽 chatter problems and front sliding, Rea ultimately proved no match for his two rivals. 

Rea stated: "In race two the beginning was a mess, especially as Bassani and Rinaldi✃ were going at it for the first two laps. I was conscious of letting Alvaro and Toprak go📖 away out front so I passed Bassani and Rinaldi in T1. 

"Then it was race on andღ I could be there. In general I felt quite good until maybe six or seven laps from the end༺. 

"I was getting everything out of the bag and I was havi꧟ng some front slides, some chatter at lean angle, and the bike was moving quite a lot. It was very physical to ride so their pace at the end was just better than mine, I could not do muc🎐h more. 

"But no regrets beca⛦use the bike set-up was better than yesterday, we definitely made an improv✅ement - especially compared to last year at Most. 

"I felt much more in control and I enjoyed the bike and 𝕴circuit this year, just not enough. Congratulations to both Toprak and Alvaro; it was a very solid race."