Jonathan Rea enjoyed a dominant double victory at Portimao to put one hand on a third consecutive World Superbike championship. The Kawasaki Racing Team rider produced another flawless performance to carve his way from the reversed grid ninth place to lead on lap two before quickly building a gap out front.
Chaz Davies climbed up to second on lap seven passing Eugene Laverty, at which point Rea was long gone, and looked settle on the runner-up spot until he crashed out at turn two with three laps to go.
With Rea clinching an 11th race win of the season the Northern Irish rider can clinch the world title with victory in the Magny-Cours opener to make World Superbike history with a third consecutive crown.
While Davies crashed out it meant the injured Tom Sykes holds on to second place in the World Superbike championship standings having missed the Portimao races with a dislocated and fractured finger.
Michael van der Mark profited from Davies’s fall to take his maiden podium for Pata Yamaha with second place as he prepares for his MotoGP debut as Valentino Rossi’s replacement at Aragon.
Anthony West was promoted to eighth place for Puccetti Kawasaki ahead of Ayrton Badovini on the Grillini Kawasaki as Takumi Takahashi rescued a result for Red Bull Honda by finishing 10th.