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It has been a tough year for both Broc Parkes and Makoto Tamada, but with points still to prove and points still to be earned, each is very much up for the final fight.

Parkes is 18th in the championship standings, in his first year back in the Superbike class after many seasons in WSS. He stated, "I'm going into this weekend under mixed emotions as it's been a tough year filled with many ups and downs. I can honestly say looking back that I've enjoyed the challenge of riding the bike and really appreciated working with the whole team. We have worked really hard so it would be nice to do well this weekend and end the season on a high. Portimao should provide a good race for all and I enjoyed racing there last year in WSS so I've got nothing to lose and I aim to do well."

For Tamada, so frequently inured in his second Kawasaki WSB season, Portimao is a fond farewell to his team. "I haven't raced the way I wanted to this year and I hope this round will be the best so far, without any misfortune. This would also be my last race with Kawasaki and Paul Bird, and I would also like to take this opportunity to thank them for letting me race with them. The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R has a lot of potential and I believe that it can win a race soon. Paul's squad is very professional, and with their integrity, I am sure that a win is on its way soon. Paul has been very good to me, and I wish to continue my friendship with him even though I am leaving the team."