Van der Mark wins at Donington to keep Rea waiting on record

Yamaha’s Michael van der Mark claimed World Superbike victory in Donington after a thrilling tussle with Kawasaki pair Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes in race one.

The Dutchman fought his way from sixth on the grid to third and, after witnessing an almighty scrap between the two British riders in front of him, he overtook both on his way to claiming Yamaha’s first win since 2011.

Northern Ireland’s Rea finished second and must wait for Sunday’s race for his next chance to surpass Carl Fogarty’s World Superbike record of 59 race wins.

Sykes had set a World Superbike record of his own earlier on Saturday by claiming his 44th pole, but it was Rea who led into the first corner.

The lead changed hands between the pair on another three occasions by lap six as Van der Mark moved to within half a second of the pair.

And he made his first move in lap 13, overtaking Rea, before he surged into the lead two laps later.

Championship leader Rea found his way past Sykes again to take second, but the three-time world champion was kept at bay by Van der Mark, who became Holland’s first World Superbike winner.

Rea’s closest title challenger Chez Davies finished a lowly eight.