World Superbikes: Bautista storms to win in Czech Republic with Rea fourth

Alvaro Bautista extended his lead at the top of the World Superbike series as he won a thrilling opening race of the weekend in the Czech Republic.

The Spaniard earned his seventh victory of the season as he made his way to the front by the midway point of the race and then consolidated his advantage.

Early leader Toprak Razgatlioglu was second with Scott Redding holding off Jonathan Rea in the battle for third.

Rea lies 29 points behind Bautista, with Razgatlioglu 19 points behind Rea.

Six-time champion Rea was competing for the first time since agreeing a two-year extension to his contract with Kawasaki to take in the 2023 and 2024 seasons and the Northern Irishman obliterated the lap record for the Most circuit to set the fastest lap in Superpole qualifying.

Razgatlioglu, a treble winner at the previous round at Donington, was the early leader, with Rea's pursuit of the defending champion including making contact with the Yamaha rider's back wheel.

Rea overtook his Turkish rival and the two began trading places at the front until Bautista stormed through to take the lead with 11 of the 22 laps remaining.

BMW-mounted Redding made up ground on the leading trio and then climbed to second ahead of Rea and Razgatlioglu, as Bautista raced clear to run out the victor by two seconds.

Redding and Rea became embroiled in a no-holds-barred battle for the final podium position on the final lap, with the Englishman prevailing by just one tenth of a second at the chequered flag.

Bautista's success gave the Bologna-based Ducati factory their 1000th podium since the inception of the championship in 1988.

The Superpole race will take place at 10:00 BST on Sunday, followed by the second feature race of the weekend at 13:00 at the Czech circuit which was added to the World Superbike calendar just last year.