WSB: Jonathan Rea takes a hat-trick of wins at Portimao

Reigning champion Jonathan Rea has re-taken control in the World Superbike Championship after three dominating victories at Portimao.

The statistics taken from the action in Portugal showcase Rea’s dominance at the circuit, and also in the series in recent years. His victory in race one was Kawasaki’s 150th in WSB, whilst his victory in the Superpole race with his fifth consecutive in the sprint event. By the end of the weekend, the five-time champion had secured his 12th victory at the Portuguese circuit.

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The Kawasaki rider becomes the fourth different championship leader in 2020, opening up a slender four-point advantage over Scott Redding. 

It wasn’t the easiest weekend for Redding, who has very little experience at Portimao. The Ducati rider was struggling with the feeling of his bike and had to settle for a seventh in race one and then fifth in the Superpole race. 

However, Redding and the team were able to find something for the final race of the weekend. The reigning Bennetts British Superbike champion had an entertaining battle with Micheal van der Mark for second, before taking the spot for good when the Dutch rider slowed due to a technical issue.

Despite that, Van der Mark was able to take third and his second podium of the weekend for Yamaha. It was a strong weekend all round for the Yamaha teams, with Toprak Razgatlioglu picking up a pair of seconds to keep within a safe distance of the leading duo in the standings. Loris Baz also secured his first podium for the Ten Kate Yamaha team in the Superpole race. 

Elsewhere, Michael Ruben Rinaldi continued to shine on the Team Goeleven Ducati. He secured a fifth in race one, seventh in the Superpole race and then sixth in race two. Alex Lowes was on the podium in the Superpole race after finishing fourth in race one, however the Kawasaki rider fell out of the final race of the weekend. 

Tom Sykes and Eugene Laverty both achieved two top 10 finishes for BMW over the course of the weekend, whilst Alvaro Bautista took a superb fifth for Team HRC in race two, after being ninth in race one. Leon Haslam also finished inside the top 10 in the Superpole race.

Round four of the 2020 WSB season takes place at Aragon on August 28-30.