Race 2 is red flagged following incident at Turn 4 but the shortened race still provides plenty of drama…
The on-track action from the Motul Portuguese Round came to an end with a thrilling FIM Supersport 300 World Championship race with a dramatic seven-way battle for the win which was won in dramatic fashion by Scott Deroue (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT) after a Red Flag was deployed with just two laps to go.
Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) was able to get to the front of the field and had looked to be building a gap at the front. Deroue was able to close up a gap of around half-a-second to take the lead with about seven riders in contention for victory during the first eight laps of the 10-lap race. The red flag meant results were taken from the final timing point all riders crossed.
Deroue was able to hold on to the lead throughout the race despite challenges from numerous riders. Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing) claimed second place during the dramatic race after battling his way through from the fifth row of the grid, with Yuta Okaya (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT) securing his first WorldSSP300 podium; following on from his history-making pole position from Tissot Superpole on Saturday.
Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT) claimed a fourth-placed finish in Race 2 with Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSSP300 finishing in fifth place as kept pace with the Championship leaders as he looks to mount his own challenge; with Deroue taking the Championship leader. Mika Perez (Prodina Ircos Team WorldSSP300) finished sixth.
Tom Edwards (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) claimed a seventh place finish despite a dramatic finish after a crash with Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300); the pair colliding at Turn 5 with Carrasco unable to return back to the pits and therefore not being classified in the race. Thomas Brianti (Prodina Ircos Team WorldSSP300) finished in eighth place with Koen Meuffels (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT) in ninth. Samuel di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo) completed the top 10; just two seconds off the lead.
Gleen van Straalen (EAB Ten Kate Racing) finished in 11th place, holding off Enzo De La Vega (Machado came SBK) and Oliver König (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team). Alfonso Coppola (Kawasaki GP Project) and Tom Bercot (ProGP Racing) rounded out the points paying positions with a strong 15th place finish.
The race was red flagged after an incident between Meikon Kawakami (Team Brasil AD 78) and Tom Booth-Amos (RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) on the run from Turn 4. Booth-Amos almost came off his bike down the start and finish straight just moments before after clipping the rear of Okaya, but the British rider was able to continue after the incident with Okaya.
There was an incident at Turn 3 on Lap 1 as Maximilian Kappler (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) and Inigo Iglesias Bravo (Scuderia Maranga Racing) with the pair both retiring from the race before it really got going. There was also an incident between Hugo de Cancellis (Team TRASIMENO) and Nick Kalinin (Battley-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki); with both riders not finishing the race although Kalinin did ride his bike back to the pits.
P1 Scott Deroue (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT)
“I’m feeling great at the moment. It was a very difficult race because in the cooler conditions we’re very fast but in the warmer conditions we are struggling a little bit. Today it was really warm, so I was struggling a little bit to be honest but, just really happy to finish first. Thanks to the team and Kawasaki.”
P2 Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing)
“It was a very, very difficult race. I’m so happy because yesterday we crashed. The track is difficult for the Yamaha bike, but I fought in the first group and the position is so important. Thanks to the team because they worked a lot yesterday after the crash, thanks to Yamaha and all my sponsors.”
P3 Yuta Okaya (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT)
“I’m happy to get my first podium in this class. The race was very fast, I was at the maximum of my limits to follow Scott and Ana, but they were riding well in this race. I want to say congratulations to Scott.”
#PRTWorldSBK WorldSSP300 at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve – Race 2
1. Scott Deroue (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT)
2. Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing) +0.122
3. Yuta Okaya (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT) +0.313
4. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT) +1.067
5. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Motoxracing Yamaha WSSP300) +1.747
6. Mika Perez (Prodina Ircos Team WorldSSP300) +2.075
Championship Standings after Race 2, Round 3
1. Scott Deroue (NED) Kawasaki (67 points)
2. Bahattin Sofuoglu (TUR) Yamaha (57 points)
3. Unai Orradre (ESP) Yamaha (55 points)
