WorldSBK 2024 – Round Seven
Portimao – Sunday
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Superpole-Race-Razgatlioglu-Stoppie-1024x762.jpg)
WorldSBK riders reflect on Portimao
In order of championship standing
Toprak Razgatlioglu – 365 points (1st)
“Thirteen victories in a row and a new record – this is good, I am very happy with this. I now have also 54 victories in my WorldSBK career, that’s a nice number. For me, it has been an incredible weekend. Just the last race was a little bit difficult because the wind was very strong and it was not easy to ride the bike. When I saw the Ducatis coming, I said: ‘Okay, I am ready to fight’. In the first two, three sectors, I was not bad, I just lost a lot in the last sector. I thought: we are fighting, and we will see who will win. But I am really happy, we won again. It’s incredible for me. It looks like my dreams come true. Now we will see what we can achieve in Magny-Cours. I am not looking at the championship points, I just focus on the wins. If this winning streak stops, then I start thinking about the championship.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Razgatlioglu-Toprak-Airlines-Wing-1024x576.jpg)
Nicolò Bulega – 268 points (2nd)
“This was one of the most difficult weekends I’ve had this season. I felt sick all weekend but I never gave up. I tried to improve every time I was out on the bike. My team did a great job too. Unfortunately, I lost the battle with Toprak. There was almost nothing between us at the end but this was my first race weekend here in WorldSBK. I’m happy. It’s always nice to be on the podium.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Bulega-962x1024.jpg)
Alvaro Bautista – 223 points (3rd)
“The feeling with the bike is coming back. Yesterday, we had a very bad start but finished second. I was the second fastest on track in the Superpole Race. In Race 2 I lost a lot of ground at the start but the feeling was similar to yesterday. The conditions were a bit tricky today because the wind was too strong. I understood more or less how the wind was affecting the track but the feeling with the bike was good. Today was the first time this season that I really felt strong. At that moment, I thought maybe I could relax for a few laps and then attack but it’s been a long time since I’ve fought for victory, so I wanted to put on a bit of a show. I wanted to have some fun, and play a little with Toprak. Unfortunately, in Turn 5, he passed me and went a bit wide. I tried to get back to the line but I lost the front. It’s a bit of a pity because the performance was really good. Now, we need to reset and start fresh with this feeling on the bike.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-VanDerMark-Bautista-Petrucci-1024x637.jpg)
Alex Lowes – 213 points (4th)
“Taking two podiums is a good way to finish the weekend in Portimao. The final race was really difficult. The wind was strong and changed direction, which made it quite difficult to ride. All my braking markers were completely out, because on one lap there was a strong wind and the next lap not as much. It was really difficult to judge. In my head I was thinking, ‘It’s the same for everybody, so relax and try to keep focused.’ On the front straight Toprak hit the back of my bike – I think he must have got sucked towards me in the slipstream – and lost one of his winglets. I tried to follow him for a couple of laps. Once I got into third place I just tried to manage the race. It was physical and difficult. But the bike was working really well, especially in the T6/T7/T8 section when the bike is easy to ride. I enjoyed it today and I think we had another good weekend. It is nice to see our consistency at so many tracks and I am looking forward to Magny Cours.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Race-Two-Podium-Razgatlioglu-Lowes-Bulega-1024x559.jpg)
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.035
3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +6.299
Andrea Locatelli – 155 points (5th)
“One of the worst weekends for us overall! It looked like after qualifying, we were not in a bad position but yesterday and today during the races I was struggling with feeling a big vibration from the rear of the bike and it was really difficult to manage and push hard. We know that we lost a lot of points for the championship – but we are always looking forward. Now unfortunately we have a long break before we can get back on the bike, but maybe it is better for us to analyse everything and to find a solution, then we can see in Magny-Cours what we can do. The potential is high when we are in a good position with the base set-up and the bike, so I believe it will come. Everyone on the team is working hard and we never stop trying for the maximum. These results are not what we expect, especially because we know in Portimão we were strong in the past. We don’t need to cry too much, but look forward, work hard and come back stronger.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Locatelli-Grid-1024x767.jpg)
Danilo Petrucci – 147 points (6th)
“I should be happy, but I’m not entirely. It was a day of two halves: I got a podium in the Superpole Race, which was something I was missing, but then the wind picked up a lot in Race 2, making the bike very unstable in the fast corners. I was losing a lot, especially in the last corner, which prevented me from being fast on the straight. Van der Mark was always right beside me on the straight, and I had to fight with him, which made me lose contact with Iannone. At the start of the weekend, I said I’d be happy with a top-five finish, but given how the other races went, I’m not completely satisfied. I have to thank the team, who did a great job on a track where we struggled a lot last year. I’m looking forward to Magny-Cours.”
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Andrea Iannone – 129 points (7th)
“Portimao is a technical and complex circuit, but I’m happy with the progression we had during the weekend, especially considering that I had no references for this track. Race 2 went well, something was missing to take out the maximum of our package, but we had a good pace. There are definitely some aspects that we can improve, we will work to continue making steps forward.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Iannone-1024x601.jpg)
Remy Gardner – 122 points (8th)
“It wasn’t our weekend, it was a challenging one to be honest. I tried to push as much as I could to earn a top nine spot in the Superpole Race, but it wasn’t easy to deal with the mid-pack and unfortunately I was not able to make progress in the Superpole Race. Overall the speed was a bit better in Race 2, although not fantastic, and I managed to be consistent and bring home some points. Now it’s time to reset and focus on the next round.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Gardner-Lecuona-1024x428.jpg)
Michael van der Mark – 121 points (9th)
“We had a really nice Superpole race with some nice battles and I was fighting for the podium. On the last corner, I tried to pass Alex Lowes from the outside and I was lining up perfectly but I just started to wheelie shortly before the finish line and I missed out on the podium. I should be happy but I was really disappointed about that. Anyway, it was a good race. In race two, I had a good start and a good strategy with Toprak. Unfortunately I did not feel as good with the bike as I did this morning and yesterday. I think the wind changed a lot, especially for me. It was a shame but it was a long race and I tried as hard as I could. Unfortunately I finished only in P7 but overall it has been a fantastic weekend for the whole team, so we can be happy.”
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Jonathan Rea – 85 points (10th)
“It’s been a positive weekend in some ways, as we improved my feeling with the R1 a lot, but Portimao has highlighted where we need to improve. Yesterday in Race 1 I had a good rhythm and pace until we had the technical issue, and today in the Superpole race I got a good start but fighting in the group proved difficult when everyone had grip. That compromised our start position for Race 2, I had to start P11. I made a good start, but I got involved in a few fights, especially with Vierge, I struggled a lot to pass him and it dictated my race a bit as he was not as strong over the lap, but stronger down the straight so it was a bit of a fight before I could get through. When I got through I focused on both van der Mark and Petrucci and even though the gap was there, I managed to close them down as one of our strengths with the R1 is pace on used tyres, so I was able to make use of that and stick a strong pass on Mikey on the last lap. I’ve got mixed emotions as it’s the best I’ve felt with the bike from a chassis point of view and was able to use the bike’s strengths much better. All in all, it’s been a confidence inspiring weekend as from a feeling point of view, and with the electronics, I’ve gained more trust to ride the bike more like I should. Credit to Andrew and the crew as they arrived with a set-up which gave me some more direct feedback from the rear of the bike, so hopefully we can take this on to Magny Cours. Thanks to all the travelling supporters, it’s those people who really give me strength in tough times!”
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Dominique Aegerter – 79 points (11th)
“We tried our best, overall we showed consistent speed. Of course this is not where we want to be, but we have to the positive things from this weekend. In the sprint race I had a fantastic start and I could fight for a place in top nine. I pushed very hard and in the final lap I was able to achieve P8, which gave me the chance to be promoted to third row. Then, in Race 2, the goal was to stay with those in front; overall the pace wasn’t bad and we were able to score decent points.”
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Garrett Gerloff – 71 points (12th)
“Sunday here at Portimao wasn’t as fantastic as yesterday. Yesterday was a big high. The Superpole race here was just a struggle. I didn’t have the best start, had to close the gas on the start and then got swallowed up by a bunch of guys. Everybody is going fast, I couldn’t work my way back up to ninth so I started one row back for the main race. In race two, same thing. I struggled with the starts today. I went so far back and then had to work my way forward. I’m happy to finish with a top ten but I know we had more and it’s just very frustrating to know that. Anyway, I’m looking forward to the next round. Obviously, I like Magny-Cours, so it should be good.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Gerloff-Grid-1024x576.jpg)
Axel Bassani – 59 points (13th)
“It was a difficult Sunday in Portimao. During the Superpole Race we tried to recover some positions but it was not easy because everybody is fighting so hard. I did not have the possibility to go forward. In Race Two I was feeling good, especially in the first half of the race, and I recovered some positions. The pace was also similar to those at the front of the race. After that, I started to have some problems with my body, feeling a lot of pain on my back. In the last six laps I had to try and get to end the race but I was not feeling really well. I have to understand why now but the feeling with the bike was really good in Race Two.”
Scott Redding – 48 points (14th)
“It was a difficult weekend in general. The Superpole race today was a little bit better than yesterday, but I was still a little bit struggling with the bike. Then later today for race two I felt a bit better, we made some changes on the bike, which we ran before, so I was quite happy that I went back in that direction that helped me. But most of the weekend we’ve been quite slow. It’s difficult in the race to run at that pace. I got a good start and I was able to run with that front group a bit, but riding that pace for me I was using a lot of that front tyre and when the front tyre started to drop, I had some issues. But then again at the end of the race, it started to come back a little bit stronger. I think I could have maybe managed it a bit better myself. In general, I wasn’t happy, but happy at least coming away with more of a solid race at the end of the weekend. I hope we can start from there at Magny-Cours.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Redding-Grid-1024x577.jpg)
Xavi Vierge – 46 points (15th)
“We’re happy with how our Sunday has gone, finally a solid day. Already at Most, I felt that we had a bit more potential, but we just weren’t able to fully realize it, a bit like yesterday when we were missing something. We worked so hard with the team after yesterday’s race, making changes to the bike setup for the Superpole race and then more changes for Race 2. The strategy worked well enough, and at least gave me the opportunity to fight with the others a little more. We are still struggling with acceleration but now we are able to at least compensate for that in braking and corner entry. Knowing how important it was to gain positions in the Superpole race, I did my best to start well and move as far inside the top ten as possible. P7 gave us a third row start for Race 2. Of course, that race was tougher, especially after ten laps when we were always on the limit. But we fought hard, all the way to the last corner, enjoyed a good battle, and completed a solid Sunday. I’m very happy with that, and with the small gains we’ve been making lately. As I said yesterday, it’s like a breath of fresh air that spurs us on. Now we have two more days of testing at Estoril, and it’s very important to keep pushing. Of course, it’s a difficult time, but nobody here is giving up, not even a little”.
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Iker Lecuona – 37 points (18th)
“After the race, I told my team that I was the first to mess up our weekend, with qualifying. Anyway, that’s racing; it happens when you’re trying to give your very best, and it happened to me. I want to apologise to the team, because we really had good speed here. We made a good comeback in Race 1, and then today we tried something different for the Superpole race that I wasn’t totally happy with, but it was meant to work in the slow corners. We kept working and made further adjustments for Race 2. I made a good start in that race, but then for the first few laps, I was kind of blocked. I couldn’t really find a consistent level of performance until around mid-race. At that point, when the tyres dropped off a bit and the fuel load lightened, I started to be much faster and more consistent. Especially over the last seven laps, I was able to close in on the group ahead, make a few passes, and finish inside the points. Of course, the position is what it is, but my speed in the second half and the fact we were able to score a few points and and stay focused gives me good motivation for the upcoming test at Estoril. Let’s see what happens over the next few days”.
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Team Managers
Sven Blusch – Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport
“We are truly at a loss for words. What Toprak and the team have accomplished together is incredible. With 13 consecutive wins, he has made history for himself, the team, and BMW Motorrad Motorsport. His determination was evident in the last race when he fought for his next victory despite losing a wing and having reduced aerodynamics. He has shown that he can achieve greatness under any circumstances. Congratulations to Toprak, and a big thank you to everyone at the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and BMW Motorrad Motorsport who made this possible. It’s also very positive to see the development of our other riders, with Mickey and Garrett fighting at the front at Portimão. We want to carry this momentum into Magny-Cours. It was a fantastic team effort. Our goal now is to represent our brand strongly with all four riders in the upcoming races.”
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Paul Denning – Team Principal, Pata Prometeon Yamaha
“It’s been a tough weekend for the team here at one of our favourite circuits in Portimão. On Jonathan’s side, there was so much potential yesterday in Race 1 which was thwarted by an unfortunate issue – and then the way the dice rolled in the Superpole Race this morning created us more problems with an 11th-place start for Race 2. Converting that fourth-row grid position into a sixth-place finish and closing down on Petrucci who finished second yesterday, showed some of the progress that JR, the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK and the team have made this weekend. Perhaps with a better starting position, the result could or should have been another step better. A decent end to a difficult weekend and great to see JR giving his maximum and more, to deliver the best result possible. Loka has had a very tough race event here – the feeling and feedback from his bike has not been as positive as we normally see, and with WorldSBK being so ridiculously close now, a small drop in performance potential means that a lot of other bikes are filling the places between the end of the points and the podium. Next up is Magny-Cours, a circuit that JR has had huge success in the past and the R1 has also gone well, and where we will go with a positive mindset to get back into the podium fight.”
WorldSBK Race Two Report
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) briefly hit the front when Race Two got underway before the Italian was overtaken by the Razgatlioglu on the entry to Turn 3. Petrucci was then dropped down to fourth as Lowes and Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) found their way through.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Race-Two-Razgatlioglu-Lowes-VanDerMark-Petrucci-1024x485.jpg)
Lowes put early pressure on Toprak, who ran wide at Turn 5, allowing the Kawasaki man to slip through. It soon turned into a four-way fight with van der Mark also charging.
The move from Razgatliolu came on the main straight, using the slipstream to pass and actually touching the back of Lowes’ machine as he passed and lost his left front wing in the process. The Turkish star then maintained his lead as Lowes ran wide and dropped behind Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) to third. The gap was changing every sector with Bulega now being the rider on the move, entering the podium places.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Race-Two-Ragatlioglu-Bautista-1024x682.jpg)
The key moment of Bautista’s race came with five laps remaining as the Ducati man and Razgatlioglu went head-to-head, with Bautista losing the front at Turn 5, leaving just Bulega to battle for the win.
Heading onto the final lap it was an intense fight for victory, with Razgatlioglu defending every inch of the track. Bulega tried to stay as close as possible on the final lap, aiming to build towards a move. However, Razgatlioglu was able to hold onto victory, extending his all-time win streak after a miraculous ride with one front wing.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Race-Two-Podium-Razgat-Bulega-AlexLowes-1024x766.jpg)
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.035
3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +6.299
Holding onto fourth on Sunday was Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven), taking his best finish of the weekend and taking the honours as the top independent rider in Race 2. The Italian was ahead of compatriot Petrucci, who was unable to find late-race pace, crossing the line to round out a competitive top five. Meanwhile, Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) took sixth, ending the weekend with a strong result after beating van der Mark late in the race. Garett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) was eighth ahead of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) who finished his best weekend of the season so far. While Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) crossed the line behind Vierge, rounding out the top 10.
WorldSBK Race Two Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Time/Gap |
1 | T Razgatlioglu | BMW | / |
2 | N Bulega | Duc | +0.035 |
3 | A Lowes | Kaw | +6.299 |
4 | A Iannone | Duc | +9.715 |
5 | D Petrucci | Duc | +11.318 |
6 | J Rea | Yam | +11.428 |
7 | M Van Der Mark | BMW | +11.518 |
8 | G Gerloff | BMW | +16.231 |
9 | X Vierge | Hon | +16.909 |
10 | D Aegerter | Yam | +16.966 |
11 | A Locatelli | Yam | +18.138 |
12 | R Gardner | Yam | +18.251 |
13 | I Lecuona | Hon | +18.959 |
14 | S Redding | BMW | +20.579 |
15 | A Bassani | Kaw | +20.934 |
16 | M Rinaldi | Duc | +21.020 |
17 | T Rabat | Kaw | +23.318 |
18 | B Ray | Yam | +23.418 |
19 | A Bautista | Duc | +24.551 |
20 | I Lopes | Hon | +58.505 |
21 | P Oettl | Yam | +1m’02.896 |
22 | H Syahrin | Duc | +3 Laps |
WorldSBK Superpole Race
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Superpole-Race-Petrucci-Lowes-Razgatlioglu-1024x316.jpg)
Petrucci led Lowes on the opening lap as the thrilling Superpole Race got underway. However, Razgatlioglu was soon on the attack, lining up a brilliant move on the run to Turn 1, using the slipstream and braking deep to charge from third to first.
There were battles everywhere in the opening laps with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) passing Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) for sixth.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Superpole-Race-Petrucci-Lowes-VanderMark-1024x874.jpg)
Meanwhile, Petrucci began to battle with Lowes, trying to reclaim second place at the halfway point. The Italian made the move stick, with Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) soon putting Alex Lowes under pressure in the battle for the final podium position.
Lowes dropped to fourth with two laps remaining, before responding on the final lap to reclaim third from van der Mark.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-Superpole-Race-Podium-Razgatlioglu-Petrucci-Lowes-1024x946.jpg)
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +2.980s
3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +3.251s
Finishing in fourth was van der Mark, who continued to show podium pace at Portimao, the Dutchman finishing ahead of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in fifth, besting his teammate Bautista by a mere 0.166s.
Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) claimed seventh to earn a strong starting position for the final race of the weekend.
Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was top Yamaha rider in eighth ahead of Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven).
Jonathan Rea crossed the line in 10th, dropping down the order throughout the Superpole Race.
WorldSBK Superpole Race Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Time/Gap |
1 | T Razgatlioglu | BMW | / |
2 | D. Petrucci | Duc | +2.980 |
3 | A. Lowes | Kaw | +3.251 |
4 | M. Van Der Mark | BMW | +3.272 |
5 | N. Bulega | Duc | +3.563 |
6 | A. Bautista | Duc | +3.729 |
7 | X. Vierge | Hon | +8.025 |
8 | D. Aegerter | Yam | +9.769 |
9 | A. Iannone | Duc | +9.823 |
10 | J. Rea | Yam | +9.942 |
11 | G. Gerloff | BMW | +10.081 |
12 | A. Bassani | Kaw | +10.944 |
13 | A. Locatelli | Yam | +12.835 |
14 | I. Lecuona | Hon | +12.902 |
15 | R. Gardner | Yam | +15.281 |
16 | T Rabat | Kaw | +15.470 |
17 | S. Redding | BMW | +15.599 |
18 | B. Ray | Yam | +15.939 |
19 | M. Rinaldi | Duc | +18.419 |
20 | H. Syahrin | Duc | +21.380 |
21 | P. Oettl | Yam | +21.643 |
22 | I. Lopes | Hon | +32.605 |
WorldSBK Standings
Pos | Rider | Points | |
1 | T Razgatlioglu | 365 | |
2 | N Bulega | 273 | |
3 | A Bautista | 223 | |
4 | A Lowes | 213 | |
5 | A Locatelli | 155 | |
6 | D Petrucci | 147 | |
7 | A Iannone | 129 | |
8 | R Gardner | 122 | |
9 | M Mark | 121 | |
10 | J Rea | 86 | |
11 | D Aegerter | 79 | |
12 | G Gerloff | 71 | |
13 | A Bassani | 59 | |
14 | S Redding | 48 | |
15 | X Vierge | 46 | |
16 | S Lowes | 40 | |
17 | M Rinaldi | 38 | |
18 | I Lecuona | 37 | |
19 | N Spinelli | 25 | |
20 | T Rabat | 8 | |
21 | T Mackenzie | 7 | |
22 | P Oettl | 5 | |
23 | M Pirro | 3 | |
24 | B Ray | 3 |
WorldSSP Race Two
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed top honours after a sensational ride that saw him secure his fourth victory of the season.
Ttitle rival Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) only scored four points on Sunday at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve after going down at turn five. The Spaniard remounted to salvage a 12th place finish to leave Portugal with his championship lead intact, albeit trimmed to 20-points.
Montella claimed victory over Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing), who finished 5.897s behind at the flag, but 3.6-seconds ahead of third placed Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) in third.
Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) was fourth and crossed the line to take the honours as the top MV Agusta rider.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-WorldSSP-Race-Two-Podium-Montella-Manzi-Debise-1024x966.jpg)
1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Prometeon Ten Kate Racing) +5.897s
3. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +9.487s
Mahias held onto fifth place as van Straalen was forced to settle for sixth position after what had been a heady battle. However, there was movement behind as Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was promoted to seventh after Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was demoted one position due to irresponsible riding.
Schroetter placed ahead of John McPhee (WRP by SKM-Triumph) in the results, after a strong ride for the #17 to finish ahead of Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph) who rounded out the top 10.
Oli Bayliss was the highest finisher amongst the Australian contingent and the only one in the points with a 15th place finish. Team-mate Tom Edwards was 17th on Sunday while countryman Luke Power crossed the line in 22nd place.
Oli Bayliss – P15
“It was definitely not a smooth weekend in Portimão as we couldn’t build any momentum due to setbacks that unfortunately prevented us from showing our full potential. Race one was halted by a technical issue, while in today’s encounter maybe I should have been a bit more aggressive at the beginning, in order to be better positioned for the rest of the race. Instead, I found myself stuck in the middle of the pack and I couldn’t get into a consistent rhythm – which is a shame because we were quite strong at times. It’s definitely not what we wanted but we’ll try again in Magny-Cours. I’d like to thank the team for their work over the weekend, as well as my sponsors and my supporters. See you in a few weeks!”
Tom Edwards – P17
“It was a challenging weekend for the team but I’m happy with how we finished off. I managed to climb from the back of the grid up to P17. I tried to keep pushing but unfortunately my tire just didn’t have anything left in it. We know what we need to work on. We’ve got a good team and a good bike, we’ll keep pushing. Looking forward to redemption in Magny-Cours.Thanks to the team for the work. Our sponsors and also my sponsors who joined me all the way from Australia this weekend. Sorry we weren’t able to put on the show we hoped for.”
Luke Power – P22
“Overall it was an up and down weekend. It started slower than expected on Friday which is something I know I need to work on in future races. Unfortunately, despite making a step with my riding in Superpole I made a mistake on my fastest lap which cost me several positions on the grid. In the first race it was difficult coming from so far back, but I was happy with my aggressive opening laps and the fact I was able to make up so many places. My pace in the last part of the race was as fast as those close to the top ten which is a real positive. We made a small change for Sunday which I didn’t gel with and unfortunately it was one of those races to just put behind me. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to Magny-Cours, a circuit I like and confident of achieving a good result there!”
In the WorldSSP Challenge rankings for riders only contesting the European rounds of the series, Tom Edwards slipped to second place after a difficult weekend in Portimao, the Australian now trails Simone Cosri by five-points, but has an 18-point advantage over Luke Power.
WorldSSP Race Two Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Time/Gap |
1 | T Montella | Duc | / |
2 | S Manzi | Yam | 5.897 |
3 | V Debise | Yam | 9.487 |
4 | F Caricasulo | MV | 12.436 |
5 | L Mahias | Yam | 19.187 |
6 | G Van Straalen | Yam | 19.912 |
7 | C Oncu | Kaw | 20.637 |
8 | M Schroetter | MV | 21.000 |
9 | J Mcphee | Tri | 21.891 |
10 | T Booth-Amos | Tri | 22.995 |
11 | S Corsi | Duc | 24.378 |
12 | A Huertas | Duc | 25.490 |
13 | N Antonelli | Duc | 25.680 |
14 | L Dalla Porta | Yam | 25.742 |
15 | O Bayliss | Duc | 27.332 |
16 | P Biesiekirski | Duc | 28.913 |
17 | T Edwards | Duc | 34.921 |
18 | A Sarmoon | Yam | 40.034 |
19 | K Bin Pawi | Hon | 40.131 |
20 | O Vostatek | Tri | 44.174 |
21 | F Fuligni | Duc | 46.597 |
22 | L Power | MV | 50.148 |
23 | R De Rosa | QJM | 52.984 |
24 | S Minamimoto | Yam | 1’03.780 |
25 | J Navarro | Duc | 3 Laps |
Not Classified | |||
RET | K Toba | Hon | 12 Laps |
RET | N Tuuli | Duc | 16 Laps |
L Baldassari | Tri | / |
WorldSSP Championship Points
Pos | Rider | Points |
1 | A Huertas | 260 |
2 | Y Montella | 240 |
3 | S Manzi | 219 |
4 | V Debise | 156 |
5 | M Schroetter | 142 |
6 | J Navarro | 120 |
7 | F Caricasulo | 118 |
8 | G Straalen | 100 |
9 | L Mahias | 81 |
10 | N Tuuli | 70 |
11 | B Sofuoglu | 65 |
12 | O Bayliss | 54 |
13 | C Oncu | 52 |
14 | T Amos | 47 |
15 | J Mcphee | 33 |
16 | N Antonelli | 31 |
17 | S Corsi | 29 |
18 | T Edwards | 24 |
19 | L Baldassarri | 21 |
20 | Y Ruiz | 18 |
21 | K Toba | 12 |
22 | A Sarmoon | 10 |
23 | L Ottaviani | 9 |
24 | O Vostatek | 9 |
25 | T Smits | 6 |
26 | L Power | 6 |
27 | T Toparis | 6 |
28 | P Biesiekirski | 5 |
29 | L Porta | 5 |
30 | S Odendaal | 4 |
31 | F Fuligni | 3 |
32 | M Brenner | 3 |
33 | G Giannini | 1 |
34 | K Pawi | 1 |
WorldSSP300 Race Two
The FIM Supersport 300 World Championship delivered further drama and battles at the Pirelli Portuguese Round, with Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) completing the double after the Italian took victory by 0.214s. It was Gennai’s sixth victory, adding to an impressive record at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve.
Gennai took victory from his team-mate Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki), who had a phenomenal last lap, pulling off incredibly brave moves to secure 20 points in the Championship as the Dutchman crossed the line to also claim his sixth podium and the Championship lead.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-WorldSSP300-Race-Two-Garcia-1024x433.jpg)
Julio Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) took the final spot on the podium, claiming his third podium and the 100th podium for Spain.
Missing out on a podium finish in Race 2 was Marc Garcia, securing fourth position after missing out by a mere 0.084s in the drag to the line. It was a strong weekend for Garcia after beating Bartolini, who claimed the final spot inside the top five.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-WorldSSP300-Race-Two-Podium-Gennai-Veneman-Gonzalez-2-1024x772.jpg)
1. Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki)
2. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) +0.214s
3. Julio Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) +0.216s
Bartolini was the last rider in the front group with Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffc Kawasaki) finishing a further 6.946s behind in sixth, ahead of Jeffery Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing) and a huge second group of riders. Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse) was eighth as Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) and Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) took the final spots inside the top 10.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-WorldSSP300-Race-Two-Veneman-Gonzalez-Bartolini-1024x570.jpg)
Pepe Osuna (DEZA-BOX 77 Racing Team) was 11th ahead of Bruno Ieraci (Team ProDina Kawasaki) and Carter Thompson (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki), the Aussie crossing the line in 13th position.
Carter Thompson – P13
“It was a difficult first day here, which didn’t help my first race starting position. I got held up in T1 but I just kept pushing the whole time, as hard as I could, and making overtakes. My pace was also good on my own so I was able to catch the leading group. In the final lap I went as fast as I could into the corners and gained some places. I waited to time my drive down the hill and across the finish line on the last lap. You have to time it right to the line. Not a great Race Two. I got stuck on the outside again in T1 and just got held up in the big group of riders all trying to overtake and snarling everything up. Not the end to the weekend we wanted.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-WorldSSP300-Race-Two-Carter-Thompson-1-1024x487.jpg)
WorldSSP300 Race Two Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Time/Gap |
1 | N Gennai | Kaw | / |
2 | L Vebeman | Kaw | +0.214 |
3 | J Garcia Gonzalez | Kov | +0.216 |
4 | M Garcia | Kov | +0.300 |
5 | E Bartolini | Yam | +0.388 |
6 | D Mogeda | Kaw | +7.334 |
7 | J Buis | KTM | +7.601 |
8 | A Mabeman | Yam | +7.728 |
9 | G Gaggi | Yam | +7.801 |
10 | F Seabright | Kaw | +7.822 |
11 | OSUNA Saez | Kaw | +7.839 |
12 | B Ieraci | Kaw | +7.868 |
13 | C Thompson | Kaw | +7.932 |
14 | M Vannucci | Yam | +7.995 |
15 | K Fontainha | Yam | +9.231 |
16 | I Maier | Yam | +12.854 |
17 | G Prbeman | Yam | +13.025 |
18 | E Ercolani | Yam | +13.238 |
19 | T Alonso | Kaw | +14.927 |
20 | U Calatayud | Yam | +20.566 |
21 | DI Sora | Yam | +22.742 |
22 | P Tonn | KTM | +23.811 |
23 | R Bijman | Kaw | +23.980 |
24 | K Sabatucci | Kaw | +24.262 |
25 | R Tragni | Yam | +24.279 |
26 | I Bolano Hernande | Kaw | +24.329 |
27 | G Manso | Yam | +24.718 |
28 | G Zannini | Kaw | +24.725 |
29 | F Novotny | Kaw | +25.057 |
30 | M Martella | Kaw | +27.565 |
31 | C Clark | Kaw | +46.060 |
-Not Classifed | |||
RET | D Salvador | Yam | 1 Lap |
RET | I Iglesias Bravo | Kaw | 9 Laps |
WorldSSP 300 Championship Points
Pos | Rider | Points |
1 | L Veneman | 139 |
2 | I Bravo | 129 |
3 | A Mahendra | 128 |
4 | M Gennai | 99 |
5 | M Garcia | 89 |
6 | D Mogeda | 76 |
7 | J Buis | 73 |
8 | M Gaggi | 71 |
9 | G Pratama | 62 |
10 | J Gonzalez | 58 |
11 | P Svoboda | 53 |
12 | B Ieraci | 53 |
13 | J Saez | 53 |
14 | E Bartolini | 51 |
15 | D Salvador | 40 |
16 | C Thompson | 39 |
17 | U Calatayud | 32 |
18 | S Sora | 31 |
19 | R Bijman | 27 |
20 | F Seabright | 16 |
21 | M Vannucci | 12 |
22 | P Tonn | 11 |
23 | O Svendsen | 10 |
24 | E Ercolani | 10 |
25 | H Maier | 9 |
26 | G Manso | 8 |
27 | E Cazzaniga | 6 |
28 | D Czarkowski | 5 |
29 | K Fontainha | 5 |
30 | R Tragni | 3 |
31 | T Alonso | 1 |
32 | I Hernandez | 1 |
World WCR Race Two
Australia’s Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport), Nicole Van Aswegen (Andalaft Racing) and Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) crashed on lap one, the race was red-flagged and restarted a few minutes later, though reduced to just 7 laps. Despite the no score, Relph still holds down eighth place in the championship standings, but that was cold comfort for the 27-year-old.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-World-WCR-Womens-Race-Two-Start-1-1024x447.jpg)
Tayla Relph – DNF
“So disappointed & defeated from today’s outcome. I was T-boned very hard by another rider out of no where into Turn 3 on the first lap and that was our day done and my race bike is now pretty well written off as I was centre punched, so it’s bent like a banana. I’m unable to walk at the moment with a torn muscle in my calf, but I am counting my lucky stars that my injuries were not worse and that is thanks to my incredible gear – RST, OGK Kabuto and Sidi . I’m shattered, today was going to be our day. We matched our race time in warm up and that was then followed by my best race start for the whole season and I was with the group. Entering turn 3, I was clear and passed the apex point and next thing I knew I was in the sky, and then in an ambulance. To have today’s result taken away from me, a totalled bike, and all my gear cut off me is a hard one to swallow, both mentally and financially. I now have 4 weeks to complete rehab and hope like buggery my calf heals in time.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-World-WCR-Womens-Race-Two-Relph-Grid-Collins-1024x572.jpg)
Van Aswegen was transferred to hospital with a suspected right femur fracture, thigh wound, and right shoulder dislocation.
In a restarted and shortened WorldWCR Race 2, it was Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) who powered the Yamaha YZF-R7 to victory to secure her second success of the season.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-World-WCR-Womens-Race-Two-Herrera-Sanchez-1024x553.jpg)
Saturday’s race winner Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) was relegated to the third step of the rostrum after both Carrasco and Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) were able to pass her in the final seconds in an edge-of-the-seat finale.
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-World-WCR-Womens-Race-Two-Carrasco-Sanchez-Herrera-1024x745.jpg)
Sanchez recorded the fastest lap of the race, a 1m53.992, on her way to second place.
Neila just missed the podium on Sunday, crossing the line 1.8-seconds behind the podium finishers.
Italian Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) and Spaniard Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) placed P5 and P6 after each running a relatively solitary race, taking the flag 15 and 19-seconds after the podium finishers at the end of the seven-lap race distance.
Herrera and Carrasco were the weekend’s top points scorers, each banking another 41 championship points with a first- and a third-place finish apiece.
With 129 points to her name, Herrera retains the championship lead but now has just a seven-point advantage over second-placed Carrasco, whose Race 2 win boosts her points total to 122
Occupying third and fourth place in the standings are Sanchez (108) and Neila (83 points)
Ana Carrasco – P1
“I’m really happy to take the victory today, particularly after yesterday’s Race 1 when I was a little disappointed to have a few problems. My team worked hard to solve those issues for today though, and I felt much better when race 2 got underway. It was a shame about the red flag, but my strategy remained the same when the race restarted – I knew the last sector was my best, so my goal was to get into second and then try to pass Maria just before the finish line. We’re now really close in terms of points and so we’ll try to continue in this way as we prepare for the next round. It’s difficult to gain a lot of points over any one weekend, but we’ll do what we can to keep the championship alive to the final round. If we can be at a good level at Cremona and be in the mix to win races, then we can be in the fight for the title at the end.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-World-WCR-Womens-Race-Two-Carrasco-Winner-1024x577.jpg)
Sara Sanchez – P2
“Like yesterday, we had another very hard race today in very hot conditions. We also only had seven laps in which to make the difference after the race was restarted. I finished second in the end, a result I’m very happy with of course, but I know I need to improve my starts if I want to be in a better position right from the beginning of the races.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-World-WCR-Womens-Race-Two-Sanchez-Interview-1024x577.jpg)
Maria Herrera – P3
“I think I ran a perfect race but the straight was my weak point and so Ana and Sara chose the right moment to pass me. I’m a little disappointed with today’s result, to be honest, but I have to be satisfied overall as we’re still leading the championship. Next we go to Cremona, a track that has another long straight, so we need to find the way to tackle that. I’m fast through the corners but I we need to focus on those areas where we still have room to improve moving forward.”
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-WorldSBK-Rnd7-Portimao-Sun-World-WCR-Womens-Race-Two-Podium-Carrasco-Sanchez-Herrera-1024x787.jpg)
1. Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team)
2. Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +0.025s
3. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) +0.120s
World WCR Race Two Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Time/Gap |
1 | A Carrasco | Yam | / |
2 | S Sanchez | Yam | +0.025 |
3 | M Herrera | Yam | +0.120 |
4 | B Neila | Yam | +1.825 |
5 | R Ponziani | Yam | +15.837 |
6 | P Ruiz | Yam | +19.082 |
7 | A Madrigal | Yam | +21.652 |
8 | O Ongaro | Yam | +21.881 |
9 | M Dobbs | Yam | +24.798 |
10 | E Bondi | Yam | +24.959 |
11 | C Liu | Yam | +25.122 |
12 | R Yochay | Yam | +25.297 |
13 | A Ourednickova | Yam | +25.666 |
14 | L Kemmer | Yam | +25.945 |
15 | L Michel | Yam | +26.368 |
16 | A Sibaja | Yam | +26.478 |
17 | J Hanks-Elliott | Yam | +32.245 |
18 | L Hirano | Yam | +36.088 |
19 | I Nadieieva | Yam | +36.098 |
20 | S Varon | Yam | +54.880 |
Not Classified | |||
RET | J Howden | Yam | / |
RET | N Van Aswegen | Yam | / |
RET | T Relph | Yam | / |
World WCR Points
Pos | Rider | Points |
1 | M Herrera | 129 |
2 | A Carrasco | 122 |
3 | S Sanchez | 108 |
4 | B Neila | 83 |
5 | R Ponziani | 56 |
6 | P Ruiz | 50 |
7 | R Yochay | 42 |
8 | T Relph | 29 |
9 | O Ongaro | 29 |
10 | A Madrigal | 25 |
11 | L Michel | 24 |
12 | C Liu | 24 |
13 | A Ourednickova | 21 |
14 | I Carreno | 20 |
15 | N Aswegen | 17 |
16 | L Kemmer | 15 |
17 | E Bondi | 12 |
18 | L Hirano | 11 |
19 | J Howden | 9 |
20 | M Dobbs | 8 |
21 | A Sibaja | 5 |
22 | K Silfa | 1 |