World Superbikes: Alvaro Bautista continues series domination in Misano with Jonathan Rea fifth

Alvaro Bautista has won 12 of the 13 races so far this season in the World Superbike Championship

Alvaro Bautista made it 12 victories in 13 World Superbike races this season by winning race one in Misano as Jonathan Rea could only manage a distant fifth.

Defending champion Bautista led Ducati team-mate Michael Ruben Rinaldi by nearly a second after lap one.

The top two positions stayed unchanged with 2021 champion Toprak Razgatlioglu completing the podium spots.

Six-time champion Rea was fourth after lap one but his Kawasaki continued to lose time to the dominant Spaniard.

The Northern Irishman had only managed sixth fastest in qualifying and was unable to find any additional pace in Saturday's race as he finished over 18 seconds behind Bautista.

Rea dropped down to sixth spot midway through the race but Danilo Petrucci's retirement saw him move up a place as he finished behind fourth-placed Axel Bassani.

Bautista's win extends his championship lead to 78 points over Razgatlioglu.

Andrea Locatelli, who could only manage 12th in Saturday's race, lies third in the championship 124 points behind Bautista, with Rea a chastening 150 points adrift of the series leader.

World Superbike standings

1. Alvaro Bautista (Spa) Ducati, 261 points

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Tur) Yamaha, 183

3. Andrea Locatelli (Ita) Yamaha, 137

4. Jonathan Rea (NI) Kawasaki, 111

5. Axel Bassani (Ita) Ducati, 104

6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Ita) Ducati, 92