Portimao WSS: Cluzel breaks Sofuoglu's winning streak

After the wet of the first Superbike race finish, the track was dry for the WSS race start, with eventual winner Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) taking an early advantage.

He and Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) would have a tough fight on the final lap but the French rider would buck the trend of Sofuoglu’s recent four-race dominance to score maximum points.

Cluzel pushed out to lead the race from pole with Kyle Smith (PATA Honda World Supersport Team) and Patrick Jacobsen (Core” Motorsport Thailand) disputing third.

Sofuoglu got to third after two laps as Jacobsen led over the line on lap three before Cluzel demoted him into the first corner.

Jacobsen was caught and passed by Sofuoglu on lap six of 18, as he closed in on Cluzel’s lead.

Sofuoglu’s fastest lap of the race on lap seven took him to the slipstream of Cluzel on lap eight of 18, as Jacobsen had a lonely ride in third.

Behind, British duo Smith and Gino Rea (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda) were disputing fourth place for a time.

Sofuoglu hit the front on lap 13, and even with Cluzel opening the throttle so hard he had a multiple near highside on lap 13 Sofuoglu stayed just too far ahead until the final lap when the two top riders went at it corner by corner.

Cluzel made enough of a gap in the middle of the last lap to win by 0.184 seconds.
Jacobsen was third, Rea fourth and Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) held of Smith to take fifth place.

Sofuoglu now has 150 points, Cluzel 110 and Jacobsen 95.