Rea's race ended by tyre blow

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Jonathan Rea suffered a dramatic first DNF of the season after his rear tyre blew out with three laps to go at Donington Park.

The World Superbike championship leader has seen his points standings advantage slashed to 50 points as Tom Sykes claimed his first win of the season but it was Rea who had looked set to extend his lead in the championship running in a comfortable second place in the closing stages.

Rea says he was suffered from rear tyre chatter when Sykes stormed past for the lead which made him ease off but on the run down Craner Curves with three laps to go his rear tyre failed and flicked the two-time world champion off who was fortunate to avoid injury.

"About a lap before Tom passed me I started to get a lot of vibration entering the corner off the gas," Rea said. "I had a lot of chatter from the front and the rear. When Tom passed me it started to get worse and worse.

"All I was thinking about was to finish the race and get some points. In hindsight I should have pulled over because I would have saved my bike because it was completely destroyed.

"The team will have to build me a new bike for tomorrow so that is frustrating for the mechanics as well. I am really disappointed."