Race 1
Nicholas Spinelli won on his World Superbike debut after an inspired tyre choice in a dramatic, red-flagged wet-dry opener at Assen.
Spinelli, who was deputising for the injured Ducati rider Danilo Petrucci, built up a 25-second led after selecting wet tyres on the damp Dutch circuit.
The rest of the grid, who selected dry tyres, struggled in the early stages but began to catch the 22-year-old Italian.
Just when it looked like Toprak Razgatlioglu would pounce on Spinelli, the red flag was shown. With just six laps remaining, race direction declared the race would not be restarted with oil on the circuit.
BMW rider Razgatlioglu finished second, ahead of reigning champion Alvaro Bautista.
Race 2
Toprak Razgatlioglu claimed a thrilling victory in the second World Superbike feature race at Assen, as six-time champion Jonathan Rea crashed.
BMW rider Razgatlioglu prevailed in an eight-bike battle for the lead at the Dutch circuit. Reigning champion Alvaro Bautista was second and Yahama’s Remy Gardner was third.
As drizzle started to fall around Assen, Rea and former Kawasaki team-mate Alex Lowes crashed at the first corner with 12 laps remaining.
Rea rejoined to finish in 19th position, but it marks a disappointing end to a weekend in which he qualified on pole position.
As multiple riders battled for the lead – with Gardner, Andrea Locatelli, Bautista and Razgatlioglu all having spells of hitting the front – it was Razgatlioglu who judged the difficult conditions best.
After dropping to seventh, the 2021 champion picked his way through the pack and passed Bautista with six laps to go for a lead he would not relinquish.
Championship leader Bautista had to settle for second and Australian Gardner secured his first World Superbikes podium in third.
