VOL. 55 ISSUE 8 FEBRUARY 27, 2018 P71
flag-to-flag idea was applied in race two, but
Rea's was the most high profile sufferer.
Sykes had his own smaller drop off in
pure performance and Melandri made
the most of it, blasting past Sykes on the
straight and finishing 1.180 seconds up on
the lead Kawasaki on Saturday.
With Rea going backwards, Davies ac-
cepted the gift of third, Sykes happy to have
scored so well but ready for a race-two win.
It was not to be, as his bike lost a little
bit of power from lap three on. He finished
race two fourth, albeit only 1.488 seconds
from Melandri.
Davies had made a hard pass on Sykes
into turn one, losing Sykes a second on one
corner.
Rea was fifth on Saturday, but still well
ahead of the fastest Yamaha in race one.
The new rules may have played an imme-
diate part in the fortunes of some top Ducati
and Kawasaki riders, but the expected 2018
Melandri edges out Rea for the sweep.
