Reigning WorldSBK champ Jonathan Rea took his 17th win of the season today in Qatar and equalled Doug Polen’s 27-year-old record of most victories in a season.
Rea was unchallenged after he passed polesitter Tom Sykes on the run from the lights into turn one and as has become usual, gradually pulled away as Sykes rode to a lonely second with Eugene Laverty and Alex Lowes fighting for the podium spot.
As he crossed the line Rea, who struggled with front-tyre wear at the end, also moved one step closer to breaking his own record of points in a season but will need at least fifth tomorrow in order to move past the 556 he set in 2017.
Lowes eventually took third place after the scrap with Laverty ended when the Milwaukee Aprilia man made a slight error at turn 16 on the last lap and he lost too much ground to the Pata Yamaha man.
With Laverty fourth, and just 4.723 seconds from Rea, the rest of the competition was a stage behind in pace today.
Marco Melandri (Aruba Ducati) was fifth, but over ten seconds from the win. A fine ride from Loris Baz (Althea BMW) put him sixth, one up on a struggling Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha).
Chaz Davies (Aruba Ducati) was unable to get into contention after starting 12th on the grid, and finished eighth. He was working hard to stay ahead of a potent Jake Gagne (Red Bull Honda) on the final lap. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was tenth today, less than a second from Gagne.
Xavi Fores (Barni Ducati) ran in fifth place but finished up 13th. Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda) crashed out at turn 12, in a race in which only 15 riders finished.
