KRT rider Jonathan Rea took his fourth race victory of the 2016 FIM Superbike World Championship campaign today, enjoying a 1.662 second margin of victory after 21 windy and competitive laps at Assen. Tom Sykes was in contention for the top spots in the early laps but fell after missing a gear on the approach to the final chicane on lap nine.
                                         
Rea had started well from his second row qualifying position after finishing this morning’s Superpole contest just one place from a front row start. With significant changes to his machine’s set-up for the dry first race, after a fully wet Friday in qualifying, Rea put himself in position to win on raceday. He found challenges to his eventual lead from all directions, as five riders formed a breakaway group from the start, in a race where the lead changed hands several times.

Tom also had good pace despite both Friday practice sessions being fully wet and was looking to score heavily once again. After missing a downshift shortly after being passed into the final sector of the track he fell, after running out onto the dirty part of the circuit while braking heavily.

In Superpole qualifying, held shortly before race one, Sykes had taken his third pole of the year on the new model Ninja ZX-10R, and the 33rd of his WorldSBK career. Rea had qualified fourth.

In giving the 2016 model Ninja ZX-10R its latest race win Rea extended his championship lead to 31 points, from second place Assen race finisher Chaz Davies. With one more WorldSBK race to come on Sunday 17th each KRT Rider has another chance to go for a win at the classic Dutch venue.