Alvaro Bautista take his 35th race win in a dominant display down under.

Alvaro Bautista lined-up on Pole Position ahead of team-mate Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Toprak Razgatlioglu, Jonathan Rea was seventh. The GRT Yamaha’s of Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner started in 10th and 11th after Gardner caused a crashed in the superpole race, Remy had a Long Lap Penalty to serve due to causing the collision.

The lights went out and it was Bautista who took the holeshot into turn one with Rinaldi following behind, Andrea Locatelli was the first of the PATA Yamaha’s ahead of Toprak. Rea had made a great start into seventh.

Rea got forced wide at Miller’s hairpin again, this time by Axel Bassani and dropped to seventh behind Iker Lecuona, the KRT rider made his move for sixth place at the Hayshed.

Toprak dropped from fourth place to sixth after an aggressive move by Bassani and Rea was took advantage and moved back inside the top five.

Remy took his long lap penalty on lap four and was down in 14th behind Xavi Vierge, taking advantage of the shorter long lap. Tom Sykes retired for the third race in a row with a mechanical problem.

Rea went around the outside of Bassani into Doohan’s and held off the Italian through the Southern Loop to move into fourth place. Toprak immediately followed suit, out-braking Bassani into Miller’s. The Turkish World Champion did not want to lose touch with Rea.

Lowes was the next one to get through on Bassani, a carbon-copy move of Toprak. Domi Aegerter was being aggressive as ever, forcing his way passed Petrucci through MG. Philip Oettl out-dragged Petrucci and Domi into turn one, the Swiss rider was determined to hold ninth place, but he nearly ran into the back of the GoEleven Ducati and ultimately dropped to 12th place.

Lowes slipstreamed his way passed Toprak to make it a Kawasaki four-five. Iker Lecuona was now pressuring Bassani joining in the fight for fourth place.

Tom Sykes who rejoined the circuit fell at turn 11, a terrible return to the WSBK paddock for the Yorkshireman

Bassani hit the back of Lecuona after Rea slowed down during Miller’s hairpin, the contact caused Bassani to lose his left-hand side winglet. All of the fighting was allow Oettl to joining the group.

Lowes was all over the back of Rea, finally out-braking his team-mate into turn four Bassani and Lecuona made contact for a second time in succession and Oettl moved ahead into seventh.

Rea out-dragged Lowes into turn one with Oettl doing the same to Toprak. Toprak immedately went back through on the German, Toprak then passed Lowes into turn four with Bassani getting passed Oettl was the same time.

Toprak passed Rea at turn one, but Rea was too strong and the Yamaha rider ran wide and allowed Lowes back through. Petrucci and Aegerter had joined the group making it a seven-way fight for fourth place.

Bautista meanwhile was ten seconds ahead of the group.

Lowes paid Rea back down the Gardner straight and held the six-time champion off to hold fourth place, Toprak was looking to find a way passed both KRT’s.

Rea took Lowes back on the home straight with Bassani also passing Toprak down the straight and then trying to overtake Lowes into Miller’s but he wasn’t quite close enough.

Aegerter got passed Petrucci into MG like he did all those laps ago. Lowes had out-dragged Rea again with Bassani nearly following suit.

Rea out-braked Lowes into turn four once more, Bassani got Lowes into MG, the Italian muscled his way through on Rea and took fourth place.

Lowes lost the front into Miller’s hairpin and collected Toprak who was on his outside, not was Toprak needs for his championship hopes.

Rea was then being pressure by Oettl with the V4R seeming to have better tyre life than the Kawasaki, Oettl powered his way through on the straight and forced Rea wide into turn one and the next rider to contender with Rea was HRC’s Lecuona.

Lecuona used the horsepower advantage of the Honda to move through on Rea, the former World Champion was down to seventh place and had just over one second over Aegerter behind him.

Alvaro Bautista took the treble, his eighth race win at the Island, becoming the most winningest rider in World Superbike history at the Australian circuit, he’s also the first rider to take a treble at the same track twice.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi finished in second place and Andrea Locatelli returned to the podium for the first time since Race 2 in Assen.

Axel Bassani held on to fourth place holding off Philip Oettl, Iker Lecuona was sixth and Dominique Aegerter passed Rea on the final lap to take seventh place.

Bautista leads the championship taking a maximum amount of 62 points, Andea Locatelli ends round one in second place 28 points behind Bautista with Rea and Rinaldi tied for third place 31 points behind Bautista.

Featured Images: WorldSBK.com