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Portimao: a look back at 2011

Thursday, 20 September 2012 09:53 GMT
Portimao: a look back at 2011

Jonathan Rea scored pole in Portimao, in front of Carlos Checa and the Yamaha duo of Laverty and Melandri. Guintoli at the first start went from fifth to second, held off an attack from the two Yamahas and then took the lead on the third lap, passing Rea. Eugene Laverty, one of the riders behind the Frenchman with Rea, Checa and Melandri, had a tough moment when his bike snapped under braking. He managed to stay upright, but the steering damper had broken, forcing him into the pits.


Guintoli was able to keep his lead, increasing a bit towards mid-race, but when Checa decided to step up, no one was able to challenge him: the Spaniard passed Melandri and Rea on the twelfth and thirteenth lap and set after the Frenchman. Guintoli had one reason to worry: his pace in the early stages was the result of a softer tyre compound, which inevitably made him an easy target towards the end. Carlos managed to catch Sylvain four laps from the end, passing him on the following one, without much resistance from the Effenbert rider, and going on to take the win. Biaggi, coming back from his injury at the Nurburgring, was a remarkable fourth, after starting only seventeenth; Max was already eighth on the opening lap and he passed Joan Lascorz on the final lap.


Rea was able to keep the lead also at the second start, but as in race one, he was passed by Laverty: Eugene, third after the start, was able to overtake Melandri going into the final turn, then passed Rea on the first turn of the second lap. The leading group was made up of Laverty, Melandri, Rea, Checa and Guintoli and after a handful of laps they had already left everyone behind. They proceeded in that order, the only notable change being Melandri, who passed Rea on the third lap, setting after his team-mate.


The situation changed four laps from the end, when Melandri was able to pass Laverty and take the lead. Rea also tried to pass Eugene, but went wide. Two laps from the end he made another attempt on the last turn and was able to pass, but Laverty tucked into his slipstream and repassed him on the straight. This duel gave Melandri a decisive advantage: the Italian won, while second place was only decided on the last lap, with Laverty able to finish behind his team-mate.