World Superbikes: Jonathan Rea regains series lead with victory in red-flagged race one at Assen

Jonathan Rea has now won 13 times at Assen

Jonathan Rea regained the World Superbikes series lead from Toprak Razgatlioglu with victory in race one of the fifth stage at Assen.

The Northern Irishman was ahead of Scott Redding in second and Razgatlioglu in third when the race was red-flagged with two laps to go.

It was a 13th career victory at the Netherlands course for six-time title winner Rea.

The win moved him seven points ahead of Razgatlioglu on the leaderboard.

The Turkish rider had come into the race two points in front of Rea after securing a double race victory at Donnington Park earlier in July.

Saturday's race was red-flagged due to track conditions after Jonas Folger crashed out of a race which was only finished by 14 riders.

Razgatlioglu took the lead from the start of the race but Rea moved ahead immediately. The Turkish rider went ahead again in the fourth lap but when Rea got his lead back again two laps later, he never looked like losing.

Indeed, the main battle during the closing stages of the race was between Redding and Razgatlioglu for second but that ended prematurely due to the red flag.

Three major riders crashed out of the race in the opening three laps, with Alvaro Bautista going in the second when he lost the front of his bike at a corner.

Alex Lowes, who started the race in fourth place in the series standings, then crashed on lap three with Michael Ruben Rinaldi of Italy, one place below Lowes on the overall leaderboard, leaving the race seconds later.

Rea's victory was the first time a rider has secured 13 victories at the same circuit.

"It's nice, I wasn't thinking about it too much. I made a tyre choice this weekend and well done to my team as I felt good," Rea told Eurosport after the race.

"I know I was ahead and Scott and Toprak and it was a case of attack of be attacked. Let's see tomorrow, it will probably be a different story in different conditions."