Yakhnich Yamaha’s Sam Lowes was denied a win after a collision with rival, MAHI Racing’s Kenan Sofuoglu on the final lap at Abbey corner, but the Derby lad was able rejoin and ended the race in second place. However, his team put in a protest about the move, but race direction didn't penalise Sofuoglu.
Yakhnick then appealed the decision in front of the FIM stewards who upheld the decision of race direction, so he keeps his 25 points for the win.
Lowes and Sofuoglu took the lead and with ten laps to go had a ten second lead over the rest of the pack. The Turkish rider led from the start with Lowes close on his tail with Brit, ParkinGO MV’s Christian Iddon in fourth.
On the fourth lap Lowes went into the lead at Farm Curve and in doing so clocked a new lap record with a 2’08.027. The Lincolnshire rider began to lap nearly a second quicker than Sofuoglu and managed to edge ahead with eleven laps to go. A lap later the reigning champ had enough of following Lowes around and made a move at Maggots, but seconds later Lowes took the lead at Woodcotte.
By lap eleven Sofuoglu took the lead after Lowes made a slight mistake, but the Brit closed the gap and was level pegging on the final lap going into Abbeys. Both rider’s touched and Lowes fell, but managed to get back on his Yamaha to cross the line in second.
For the majority of the race there was a battle for third between MAHI Racing’s Fabien Foret, ParkinGO MV rider Christian Iddon and DMC-Lorenzini’s Kev Coghlan. Iddon did appear to have the advantage but Scottish rider Coghlan spurred into action on the penultimate lap and managed to get the better of the French and British rider’s to go third. But it was not to last, as Foret took the final spot on the podium after a move at Woodcotte Corner to snatch the final podium spot from the Perthshire rider, with fellow Brit Iddon rounding off the top five.
Rivamoto’s Jack Kennedy was never in contention of a podium but did battle it out with Roberto Russo to sixth, with the Italian having slightly better pace than the Dubliner.
Pata Honda’s Michael Van Der Mark, who found himself on the gravel in the early stages of the race, and Lowes’ Russian team-mate Vladimir Leonov rounded off the top ten. Motorpoint British Supersport stalwarts Glen Richards and fellow Aussie Billy McConnell ended the race in 17th and 22nd respectively.
