[WSBK] Johnny Rea's 65th victory in Race 1 at Portimao

Jonathan Rea is the big favorite this weekend in Portimão, with five victories from 18 races contested. Two of his main opponents are recovering: Chaz Davies fractured his right collarbone twice this summer, during the very first week of the break in a mountain bike fall, before injuring himself in the same place following a a fall in Supermotard two weeks ago. Tom Sykes has undergone surgery to repair a broken left ankle and strained ligament following a fall in training five weeks ago.

Championship third-place finisher Michael van der Mark secured three top-5 finishes in four races in Portugal, as well as a Supersport victory in 2014. Loris Baz last raced at Portimão in 2014. He scored a podium there in Race 1 behind Tom Sykes and Sylvain Guintoli. Loris was then riding an official Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Eugene Laverty in pole position

The best qualifying time went to Laverty with the new record in 1'40.705 on his Aprilia, who shared the first row of the starting grid with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) . The second row included Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia), Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) and Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), and the third Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team), Loris Baz (GULF Althea BMW Racing Team) and Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse). Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), second in the championship, was only 14^e.

What a start of Race 1!
🚦 pic.twitter.com/IE1mR1psZ3

- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) September 15, 2018

At the start of the first heat, the fastest to start was Jonathan Rea ahead of Marco Melandri, Lorenzo Savadori, Tom Sykes and Michael van der Mark. Eugene Laverty and Xavi Fores fell on the first lap, without seriousness, the Spaniard unintentionally hitting the Irishman.

Rea took off in the lead, followed by Melandri and Savadori. Van der Marl lost a little time overtaking Sykes and found himself fourth, a second behind. Loris Baz was ninth at 3.4. Chaz Davies brilliantly moved up to fifth position, 2.6 with 17 laps to go. Rea opened up a gap of one second on Melandri and Savadori, and three on van der Mark and Davies. Baz eighth was eight seconds behind.

At the halfway mark, Rea completely dominated with two seconds ahead of Melandri and Savadori. Van der Mark fourth followed at 4.0, ahead of Davies at 5.4, Sykes at 8.1, Torres and Baz at 10.1. Leon Camier and his Honda retired in the pits. Lorenzo Savadori, then in third position, fell without seriousness. There were no more RSV4s on the track.

🔟 laps ahead. Guess who is going to win Race 1! pic.twitter.com/z1KZGd58xU

- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) September 15, 2018

With five laps to go, seventh-placed Loris Baz was right behind sixth-placed Jordi Torres, 16.4 behind Rea. It was the only top-10 fight.

Jonathan Rea won at the finish line with a comfortable margin ahead of Marco Melandri and Michael van der Mark, ahead of Chaz Davies, Tom Sykes, while Loris Baz obtained his best result of the year with a good sixth position.