Antonio Torres (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) made FIM Sportbike World Championship history by claiming Race 1 victory at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve – despite only leading for a handful of metres and having a grid penalty. The #47 started from P17 in the original race for the Pirelli Portuguese Round and battled his way to lead across the line ahead of teammate David Salvador, with Ferre Fleerackers (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) completing the first-ever podium.

THE RACE BEFORE THE RED FLAG: Incredible fight at the front

Kas Beekmans (VLR Racing Team Suzuki) got the holeshot when lights went out on WorldSPB, with Fleerackers and teammate Jeffrey Buis following closely behind, before the #65 took the lead at Turn 5 on the opening lap. At the start of Lap 2, polesitter Matteo Vannucci (Revo-M2) claimed the lead at Turn 1 as he swept around the outside to move into P1 despite a poor start. As Lap 4 started, a group of five started to break away as Bruno Ieraci (CM Triumph Factory Racing) claimed the lead at Turn 1, although Vannucci responded at Turn 5 on the same lap. The lead consistently changed hands throughout the 11-lap race, before the red flags were shown with six laps to go due to track conditions, shortly after Beekmans crashed at Turn 2; he was taken to the medical centre for a check-up. He will be re-assessed before Sunday Warm Up after suffering abrasions to his fourth and fifth fingers on his right hand.

THE RESTARTED BATTLE: 0.767s separate the top seven

The race was restarted over a five-lap distance with the starting grid based on the standings at the last completed timing point for each rider, meaning Ieraci started from P1 ahead of Buis and Salvador. Buis claimed the lead heading into Turn 1 for the restarted race, although Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) took P1 at Turn 1 on Lap 2, while Elia Bartolini (CM Triumph Factory Racing) crashed from P2 at Turn 5; Vannucci crashed at the same corner in a separate incident, but he was able to rejoin. The chaos behind allowed Artigas to break away but the chasing pack closed the gap to just a couple of tenths with two laps to go. At the start of the final lap, Salvador moved into P1 at Turn 1, but it was teammate Antonio Torres who snatched victory across the line by just 0.023s to give him the first ever WorldSPB win. The podium was completed by Fleerackers, who pipped teammate Buis to the podium after a last-lap battle.

LOSING OUT ON THE FINAL LAPS: Artigas drops to P5

Artigas lost out over the final two laps despite attempting to break away and eventually finished in P5 ahead of Bruno Ieraci (CM Triumph Factory Racing) in sixth, who was just 0.547s away from victory. Wildcard Diego Poncet (Rac41-Honda) finished in seventh, meaning four manufacturers finished in the top seven in Race 1.

INSIDE THE TOP TEN: Veneman recovers from jump start penalty

Alvaro Fuertes (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) finished in eighth place, just over a second away from victory in a closely-fought restarted race. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) was P9 after he had to take two Long Lap Penalties for a jump start in the original race. He took one before the red flag and the second after; he started the restarted race from seventh. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) completed the top ten.

TO NOTE: Several retirements from the opening race

There were several falls at Turn 1 throughout the race at different points, with Harrison Dessoy (PHR Performance Triumph), Pepe Osuna (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) and Troy Sovicka (Panattoni BGR Smrz Racing) going down there, while Fenton Seabright (PHR Performance Triumph) and Thomas Benetti (MMR) crashed at Turns 3 and 4 respectively; all in separate incidents. Seabright went to the medical centre following his fall and was declared unfit with a left shoulder dislocation; he had just completed his double Long Lap Penalty for a jump start.

The top six from WorldSPB Race 1, full results here:

1. Antonio Torres (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI)
2. David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) +0.023s
3. Ferre Fleerackers (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) +0.055s
4. Jeffrey Buis (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) +0.400s
5. Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) +0.464s
6. Bruno Ieraci (CM Triumph Factory Racing) +0.547s
Fastest lap: Loris Veneman (Kawasaki) – 1’48.894s

Don’t miss WorldSPB Race 2 on Sunday at 13:00 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!