ROAD RACE
FIM WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 10 / SEPTEMBER 14-16, 2018
AUTODROMO INTERNACIONAL ADO ALGARVE / ALGARVE, PORTUGAL
P66
BY GORDON RITCHIE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE
J
onathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing
Team) ranks Portimao as one of
his favorite circuits, but when he
wins at almost every single one he
goes to, it is hard to see why he holds
one above the other.
His latest two wins, by 1.575 and
then 1.189 seconds, were very differ-
ent in character but gave him his 65th
and then 66th career victories, ex-
tending his own record tally. He used
to run the 65 before he made the
number one plate his own personal
property, so there were some themed
celebrations on Saturday.
Rea was the favorite to take his
latest WorldSBK race wins—11 and
12 for the season—but he had to wait
until Saturday lunchtime, after Eu-
gene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) ran
out fastest rider in Superpole, and at
record pace.
Rea was boss of both races in Por-
tugal, but he had to fight for it at times.
"The pace on Sunday was a little bit
slower, and I destroyed the tire a little
bit more coming through the pack,
Jonathan Rea took yet another
double win at the Portimao circuit
in Portugal—his fourth in four
years—and eclipsed his personal
win record to 66, one more than his
traditional race number: 65
65
Plus One
