FIM Superbike World Championship competitor Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) pushed all the way through 22-laps in the second race at Portimao in Portugal and came within 0.162 seconds of his third win of the year.

Rea had been sixth in a wet race one, which had to be stopped after a red flag caused by an oil spill on a wet track surface. After extensive cleaning a damp surface remained, but it dried towards the end, and in a 16-lap race Jonathan scored sixth place. He had qualified fifth in superpole.

He is in fifth place in the overall championship standings, on 255.5 points, with one round and two races remaining. Jonathan will continue as a Honda Superbike rider in 2013, with news being confirmed at Portimao that he and Leon Haslam will team up on the CBR100RR in the official Honda entry, with snack food producers PATA unveiled as the new title sponsor.

Hiroshi Aoyama (Honda World Superbike Team) was eighth in race one today a great result for the rookie rider in this class, as it equalled his best SBK result to date and came at a circuit he had never seen before race weekend. He missed out on qualification for Superpole and was 17th on the grid. He was retiree in race two with a technical issue. Hiroshi is 18th in the championship itself, with a total of 59.5 points.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) and Eugene Laverty (Aprilia) won the Portuguese races, with Max Biaggi (Aprilia) extending his championship lead after race two, as Sykes’ machine broke down and his previous closest championship rival Marco Melandri (BMW) fell in the abandoned race one. He suffered a bruised right kidney and took no further part in proceedings. Biaggi now has 347 points, Sykes 316.5, Melandri 308.5, Carlos Checa (Ducati) 278.5.

The final round will take place on Sunday October 7, at Magny-Cours in France.

Cluzel Wins Again But Sofuoglu Takes The Crown

Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda) scored the third win of his rookie season in the FIM Supersport World Championship race at Portimao, but despite his victory and full points score Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) won his third title in this class, by finishing second on track.

A fabulously entertaining race had three main Honda protagonists fighting at the sharp end for all 20 laps, in dry but still slippery conditions after monsoon-like morning rains had cleared away.

Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Racing Products Honda) was one of many riders who led for a time, but he would finish fourth, 1.035 seconds from Cluzel and behind Kawasaki riders Sofuoglu and Fabien Foret. Parkes had claimed pole in qualifying.

Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda) lost contact with the leading group after one worrying moment when he almost fell from his machine, but he still finished fifth, only 3.905 seconds from the win.

South African riders Ronan Quarmby (PTR Honda) and Mathew Scholtz (Bogdanka PTR Honda) finished ninth and tenth respectively, with Scholtz equalling his season best finish.

The last Honda rider to score a point today was Gabor Talmacsi (PRORACE Honda) in 15th place, a slightly disappointing result for a rider who has been making great strides since he joined the series mid-season. Former Honda WSS regular Miguel Praia (Ten Kate Racing Products Honda) was 17th in a one-off ride; Valentin Debise (SMS Racing Honda) was 18th. Imre Toth (Racing Team Toth Honda) went 20th today, his team-mate Balazs Nemeth (Racing Team Toth Honda) 21st and Martin Jessopp (Riders PTR Honda) 22nd. Danilo Marrancone (Kuja Racing Honda) finished his race in 24th place.

Dino Lombardi (Team Lorini Honda) and his team-mate Roberto Tamburini no scored, as did first time WSS rider for the Bogdanka Honda PTR team Adrian Pasek.

In the overall championship standings, Cluzel is second, 33 points behind Sofuoglu, Lowes is fourth on 152 points, Parkes fifth on 135 and Quarmby is eighth on 84. Tamburini dropped to 12th overall.

Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team):
Race result: 6th / 2nd - Championship position: 5th

“I guess we’ve got to be satisfied with the results today after we didn’t take advantage in Superpole yesterday. I felt really good in both races and in race one I was sitting pretty in second place feeling really comfortable when the red flags came out. Unfortunately, the track was drying for the second part, with zero standing water, but the bike was just too soft for the conditions, so I could only nurse it home. Race two was pretty good and my team gave me a CBR that I was able to compete with at the front. I got held up a little early on and Laverty opened a bit of a gap. When I got clear track in front of me I was able to reel him back in bit by bit but we ran out of laps in the end.”

Hiroshi Aoyama (Honda World Superbike Team):
Race result: 8th / DNF - Championship position: 18th

“I didn’t have a good feeling in the first part of race one and I think we went in the wrong direction after warm-up. But after the red flag we had an opportunity to change the set-up and went the other way. It worked much better and I was able to pass some riders and fight for higher positions with the others. I had a not too bad race and I was excited to have another go in race two. Unfortunately, I had some technical problem so I was not able to finish the race.”

Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda):
Race result: 1st - Championship position: 2nd

“That was one of my hardest races so I am really happy to win. I had big problems braking at the start of the race, but then I calmed myself down and really concentrated. Then at the end I relaxed for the last three laps and was able to do good lap times. For me the target was to do my best and win if I could, I was not thinking about the Championship. I will be more relaxed now the title is decided for my home race at Magny Cours and will want a good result as I think I will have a lot of fans coming to watch.”

Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda):
Race result: 5th - Championship position: 4th

“It was a bit of a strange race really because it had been incredibly wet then it dried up for my race. I got to the front, but then made a couple of mistakes then at one point he wind got underneath the bike and I lost the front, then that set the back off and it kicked me about and I was of the side of the bike. It pulled my shoulder and I dropped a couple of seconds a lap. It was unlucky to have the race in a bit of strange conditions as the track wasn't very good after the rain and the lap times were a lot slower than in practice; but I'm looking forward to Magny Cours already and want to end the season on a high. Congratulations to Kenan on winning the championship.”

Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Racing Products Honda):
Race result: 4th - Championship position: 5th

“It was a good fight in that race and I was really happy to be in it. I felt quite comfortable to run with the guys and having a good battle. I gave everything but with a couple of lap to go I was finding it a bit difficult then I had a big moment out of the last corner. I really wanted to get on the podium, but unfortunately I just missed. But at least we were there for the fight. One more race so hopefully we can give everything and win the last race”

Ronan Quarmby (PTR Honda):
Race result: 9th - Championship position: 8th

“That was a good result after what has been a really tough weekend for me. Starting 20th I got a bad start and was 24-25th. It was not ideal. I got up to seventh, and finished ninth and I am happy with it, it is decent points. There is one more round and I want to qualify better. Today though, it has been a great race, I am happy with the bike that PTR Honda provided me with and I think we just have to work a bit on set-up.”

Mathew Scholtz (Bogdanka PTR Honda):
Race result: 10th - Championship position: 19th

“I think I dropped down to about 18th place and then I slowly started to work my way up. I got to tenth and then there were a few riders battling in front of me. I was constantly going forward and backwards to the group in front of me, but after the last races I have to be very happy and looking forward to the French race.”

Gabor Talmacsi (PRORACE Honda):
Race result: 15th - Championship position: 13th

“I finished in 15th place, but I was expecting better. Basically we have to analyse what happened but this weekend was difficult for us. We tried some new parts in suspension and it was a difficult weekend. We scored a point but I am looking forward to the next weekend.”

Martin Jessopp (Riders PTR Honda):
Race result: 22nd - Championship position: 40th

“I don't know what happened, but right from the start I couldn't get down the gears and on the first two laps I ran off the track twice. The only way round it was to brake very early into every corner and that didn't help me to get a good result - which was always going to be difficult from 29th on the grid.”

Adrian Pasek (Bogdanka Honda PTR):
Race result: DNF - Championship Position: N/A

"I couldn't finish the race, so the end result wasn't perfect, but the main thing was that I could get plenty of experience under my belt this weekend. I had a small problem with the brake leaver as well as changing down the gears, but I've also made a few mistakes and went out of the track a couple of times. It was very damp at the start but I've started really well and made up a few places. I was alone from then on and it was difficult to keep a consistent rhythm on my own."

World Superbike and World Supersport 2012
Round 13: Portimao – Portugal

Superbike Race 1

Rank	Rider (Team)
1	T. SYKES (Kawasaki Racing Team)
2	C. CHECA (Althea Racing)
3	S. GUINTOLI (PATA Racing Team)
4	M. BIAGGI (Aprilia Racing Team)
5	B. MCCORMICK (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing)
6	J. REA (Honda World Superbike Team)
7	L. BAZ (Kawasaki Racing Team)
8	H. AOYAMA (Honda World Superbike Team)
9	A. BADOVINI (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet)
10	M. FABRIZIO (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet)
11	L. CAMIER (FIXI Crescent Suzuki)
12	J. HOPKINS (FIXI Crescent Suzuki)
13	E. LAVERTY (Aprilia Racing Team)
14	A. LUNDH (Team Pedercini)
15	M. BAIOCCO (Red Devils Roma)

Superbike Race 2

Rank	Rider (Team)
1	E. LAVERTY (Aprilia Racing Team)
2	J. REA (Honda World Superbike Team)
3	M. BIAGGI (Aprilia Racing Team)
4	S. GUINTOLI (PATA Racing Team)
5	C. CHECA (Althea Racing)
6	A. BADOVINI (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet)
7	L. BAZ (Kawasaki Racing Team)
8	M. FABRIZIO (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet)
9	B. MCCORMICK (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing)
10	L. LANZI (Liberty Racing Team Effenbert)
11	J. HOPKINS (FIXI Crescent Suzuki)
12	L. ZANETTI (PATA Racing Team)
13	D. SALOM (Team Pedercini)
14	A. LUNDH (Team Pedercini)
15	N. BRIGNOLA (Grillini Progea Superbike Team)

Supersport

Rank	Rider (Team)
1	J. CLUZEL (PTR Honda)
2	K. SOFUOGLU (Kawasaki Lorenzini)
3	F. FORET (Kawasaki Intermoto Step)
4	B. PARKES ( Ten Kate Racing Products)
5	S. LOWES (Bogdanka PTR Honda)
6	S. MORAIS (Kawasaki Lorenzini)
7	D. LINFOOT (MSD R-N Racing Team India)
8	A. BALDOLINI (Power Team by Suriano)
9	R. QUARMBY (PTR Honda)
10	M. SCHOLTZ (Bogdanka PTR Honda)
11	M. ROCCOLI (Team PATA by Martini)
12	V. LEONOV (Yakhnich Motorsport)
13	A. ANTONELLI (Bike Service R.T.)
14	J. METCHER (Rivamoto Junior Team)
15	G. TALMACSI (PRORACE)