WorldSBK Estoril Race 2 Results | Rea wrestles last lap victory from Bautista

Jonathan Rea produced arguably one of the finest performances of his distinguished WorldSBK career with an outstanding fight back for victory on the final lap of Race 2 in Estoril against a doggedly determined Alvaro Bautista.

Having shared the victory spoils so far this weekend - both having snatched late wins over defending champion Toprak Razgatlioglu - this time it was Bautista vs Rea in a head-to-head for victory in a race that built in momentum amid humid and damp conditions.

A race that played out differently to Race 1 and the Superpole Race, though it was Rea and Razgatlioglu taking charge out front once more, this time they were joined in the lead group by Alex Lowes - the Kawasaki rider enjoying his strongest race of the year as he mastered the tricky, slick conditions - and Bautista.

With Rea and Razgatlioglu continuing their customary frequent swaps of the lead at the front as Lowes and Bautista kept a watching brief, the relatively slow race pace ultimately allowed the Spaniard to pounce in very telling fashion on Lap 11 of 21.

Indeed, having dispatched of Lowes for third on the previous lap, though Bautista has struggled relative to Rea and Razgatlioglu around Estoril’s slower and more technical bends, the leisurely pace up front meant he was on their tail coming onto the long home straight, where he proceeded to sweep past both in one go on the run to Turn 1.

While Rea fought back the following lap with a deep but well-held pass into Turn 6, Bautista’s sheer straight-line speed advantage told again with eight laps to go as he powered ahead.

From here, Bautista battled hard to keep Rea behind in the twisting parts of the course knowing he had the speed to keep the Kawasaki - now running alone behind the Ducati after Razgatlioglu faded - behind him down the home straight.

However, a wily Rea was simply riding tactically, waiting until the final lap to ramp up the pressure, firstly into Turn 7 with a lunge that sent him wide on the exit, before the six-time WorldSBK Champion scythed up the inside successfully into the slow uphill chicane. 

Hanging Bautista on the outside, though Rea stepped the rear out coming around the final corner amid drizzly conditions, it wasn’t enough to allow Bautista a sniff at victory, the Ulsterman coming across the line for his fifth win of the year.

In the overall standings, Bautista still leads the way, some 17 points over Rea, while Razgatlioglu - who had to settle for another podium without topping it - faces a 52 point deficit to the top.

Elsewhere, Lowes completed his best result of the season with a run to fourth, the Kawasaki rider unlucky not to challenge Razgatlioglu for the podium after running wide at Turn 1 with seven laps to go.

Andrea Locatelli completed another solid weekend of results for Yamaha in fifth place, ahead of top Honda rider Iker Lecuona. Axel Bassani was top independent rider, ahead of factory Ducati counterpart Michael Ruben Rinaldi and the two ‘Xavis’ Vierge, followed by Fores.

2022 WorldSBK Championship | Estoril, Portugal | Race 2 RESULTS