Reigning WorldSBK Champion Jonathan Rea put one hand on his third title at Portimao this afternoon, taking a double win which means he needs only a second place at Magny-Cours to be crowned king for the third year in a row.
Rea hit the front on lap two after starting from ninth on the grid and was never seen again, opening a four-second lead by half distance as Chaz Davies tried to follow him through. Rea had to contend with electronics trouble from half distance.
Davies took second from Eugene Laverty on lap seven but crashed with three to go, falling at turn two. It meant the absent Tom Sykes keeps his grip on second place in the title chase and it will take some sort of disaster for Rea not become a triple champion after race one in France.
Davies’ crash promoted Michael Van Der Mark to second place for his first podium of the year while Marco Melandri completed the top three.
Laverty again just ran out of rear tyre and after a couple of paint exchanges with Marco Melandri, had to give best to the tiny Italian. Jordi Torres woke up halfway through the race and made his way through to fifth place with Lorenzo Savadori in sixth.
In a race of attrition which saw Leon Camier break down out of fifth place, Alex Lowes highside at turn 13, Davies’ spill and Stefan Bradl joining Sykes on the sick list, Tati Mercado took seventh and Pedercini newboy Anthony West in eighth. Ayrton Badovini and HRC test rider Takuma Takahashi completing the top ten.
