Britain’s Jonathan Rea stormed to an irresistible double victory at round four of the World Superbike Championships at Assen at the weekend.

In a near carbon-copy of the first race of the weekend, Rea’s end-of-race pace in leg two was too much for Chaz Davies, who kept the Northern Irishman honest until the last of the 21 laps.

The pair, who have finished in the top-two for four straight races, were only separated by 0.4 seconds at the flag as Davies couldn’t inch close enough to make a decisive move.

Behind, Michael van der Mark repeated his podium heroics of race one by making an aggressive move on Leon Haslam on the final lap to claim a second-straight top-three finish.

But the plaudits will go to Rea for a stunning eight-race haul that has seen him claim 190 points from a possible 200 and extend his championship lead over Haslam to 50 points.

The Northern Irishman pipped team-mate Tom Sykes into the first corner only for the Englishman to get by at the end of the lap.

From there another five-way battle ensued with Davies, Haslam and van der Mark exchanging positions behind the Kawasaki pair. For the second time in one day, van der Mark was made to work in the early laps as another poor start left him seventh on lap one.

The action was close as a second covered the front five. van der Mark came perilously close to crashing through the change of direction in the Geert Timmer chicane on lap twelve, having touched Davies’ rear tyre.

Sykes’ time at the front lasted until the thirteenth lap when Rea made the decisive move at Ramshoek. From there, the Englishman was shuffled back to fifth within a lap and a half, as Davies, Haslam and van der Mark piled through.

Sykes was then powerless to prevent the front four breaking clear, as he continues to struggle when tyre life drops away.

As Rea and Davies eked out several tenths on Haslam and van der Mark, the Welshman upped the pressure by setting the fastest lap the 18th time around. Davies changed to a medium compound front tyre for race two and it seemed to work. Yet Rea was able to respond as the race drew to a close, his pace on worn tyres unerringly consistent.

van der Mark moved past Haslam at Ramshoek on the final lap only for Haslam to come back through. It then took a late braking attempt which put both men onto the gravel at the chicane to clinch van der Mark’s second podium of the day.

Further back, Jordi Torres came home in sixth. The Spaniard ran out of laps as he caught Sykes towards the end of the race. Sylvain Guintoli was seventh while Xavi Fores pipped Alex Lowes to eighth in the final laps.

Indeed Lowes showed few signs of weariness after a difficult two rounds. The Englishman set a stirring pace at the start and was sitting as high as sixth before an electrical problem forced him off track at turn one.

Leon Camier shrugged off challenges from Matteo Baiocco, Ayrton Badovini, David Salom and Leandro Mercado to claim the final top ten spot.

Nico Terol’s race ended when he crashed his Althea Ducati at Strubben on lap four. The Spaniard was stretchered off the circuit. World Superbike organisers confirmed the 2011 125 world champion suffered concussion, contusion to his right knee and a fracture to his right wrist. Terol was transported to hospital for further medical checks.

Race one results:

1. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 21 laps
2. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R +1.098s
3. Michael van der Mark NED PATA Honda CBR1000RR +4.140s
4. Leon Haslam GBR Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 +4.517s
5. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +6.140s
6. Jordi Torres ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 +11.007s
7. Xavi Fores ESP Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 37.542s
8. Sylvain Guintoli FRA PATA Honda CBR1000RR +15.029s
9. Nico Terol ESP Althea Ducati 1199R +22.706s
10. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta F4 RR +22.867s
11. Leandro Mercado ARG Barni Ducati 1199R +29.884s.
12. Matteo Baiocco ITA Althea Ducati 1199R +36.816s
13. Roman Ramos ESP GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R+37.190s.
14. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +46.675s
15. Niccolo Canepa ITA Team Hero EBR 1190RX +74.271s
16. Christophe Ponsson LUX Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R +74.296s
17. Santiago Barragan ESP Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R +74.296s
18. Gabor Rizmayer HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR +1 lap

Not classified:

1. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR 10 laps
2. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 12 laps
3. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 13 laps
4. Randy de Puniet FRA Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 13 laps
5. Larry Pegram USA Team Hero EBR 1190RX 16 laps
6. Javier Alviz ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 21 laps

Race two results:

1. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 21 laps
2. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R +0.439s
3. Michael van der Mark NED PATA Honda CBR1000RR +2.831s
4. Leon Haslam GBR Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 +2.992s
5. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +6.508s
6. Jordi Torres ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 +7.092s
7. Sylvain Guintoli FRA PATA Honda CBR1000RR +11.190s
8. Xavi Fores ESP Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 15.636s
9. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 16.402s
10. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta F4 RR +16.402s
11. Matteo Baiocco ITA Althea Ducati 1199R +21.459s
12. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR 21.997s
13. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +22.082s
14. Leandro Mercado ARG Barni Ducati 1199R +22.928s
15. Roman Ramos ESP GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R+41.801s
16. Christophe Ponsson LUX Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R +66.835s
17. Javier Alviz ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R + 1 lap
18. Gabor Rizmayer HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR +1 lap

Not classified:

RT.Niccolo Canepa ITA Team Hero EBR 1190RX 1 lap

1. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 6 laps
2. Santiago Barragan ESP Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 10 laps
3. Larry Pegram USA Team Hero EBR 1190RX 14 laps
4. Randy de Puniet FRA Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 16 laps
5. Nico Terol ESP Althea Ducati 1199R 18 laps

WSBK standings after round four of 13 at Assen: