TWO second places in the final weekend of the World Superbike season in Qatar ensured second place in the championship for Presteigne bike rider Chaz Davies.

The Welshman finished runner-up in both races to Northern Irish rider Jonathan Rea, who set a new all-time best points score for one season taking his tally to 556.

Rea’s 15th and 16th wins on Friday and Saturday - at the 3.63-mile Losail circuit, near Doha - underlined his dominance during the season.

The Isle of Man-based Kawasaki rider had already claimed his third world championship at Magny Cours in September.

Saturday’s win meant Rea broke Colin Edwards’ 15-year record for the number of points scored in a single season by four points.

It also gave him his 53rd WSB win, which puts him only five wins behind four-time world champion Carl Fogarty.

The pressure was taken off Davies after Kawasaki rider Tom Sykes, his only rival for second in the championship, crashed out early on in the second race.

Ducati rider Davies at one point held the lead but Rea overtook him on lap four and despite the Presteigne rider’s valiant efforts to get back in front he was able to maintain a two-second lead to the flag.

Alex Lowes, who had crashed out in Friday’s race, finished third in Saturday’s race.

Davies finished second in the series on 403, followed by Sykes with 373 and Italian Marco Melandri, who finished third on Friday, on 327.

2017 WSB Riders’ Championship:

Jonathan Rea (Gbr) Kawasaki 556 pts

Chaz Davies (Gbr) Ducati 403

Tom Sykes (Gbr) Kawasaki 373