Benat Fernandez (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kove) became the 36^th winner in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship after taking a stunning last-lap victory in Race 2 at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. The #7 beat compatriots Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport) and Antonio Torres (Team ProDina XCI) by less than a tenth to cap off an incredible Pirelli Portuguese Round, his debut round in the Championship.

DECIDED ON THE RUN TO THE LINE: Fernandez takes the win, Buis crashes on final lap

Victory belonged to the sole Kove rider on the grid as Fernandez utilised the slipstream on the final lap to pip fellow Spanish star Garcia to give Kove their first win of the season, and their first since Garcia’s at Jerez last year. The #48 trailed Fernandez by just 0.018s across the line in a stunning race which featured nine riders within eight tenths across the line. Torres finished in third place as he completed the all-Spanish podium, with the #47 just 0.095s away from victory.

THOMPSON PIPS SALVADOR: a big fight for P4

Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki) crossed the line in fourth ahead of David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) Salvador classified in fifth. Phillip Tonn (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) was sixth, but his last lap was not without drama, after he made contact with teammate Jeffrey Buis at Turn 1. That pushed the two-time Champion into Brazilian rider Humberto Maier (Yamaha AD78 FIMLA by MS Racing), with both Buis and Maier sliding out of the race; the incident was investigated after the race by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards, with further action taken.

MULYA'S BEST RESULT, OSUNA’S COMEBACK: P7 and P9 for the duo respectively

Indonesia’s Felix Mulya (ProGP NitiRacing) improved on his Race 1 was result as he finished in seventh, only 0.259s down on the race win and finishing as the lead Yamaha rider. Elia Bartolini (Team BrCorse) trailed him by just a tenth, while Pepe Osuna (ZAPPAS-DEZA-BOX 77 Racing Team) went from 28^th and last on the grid to P9 at the flag and only 0.747s away from what would have been a remarkable and unlikely victory. Home hero Tomas Alonso (Pons Motorsport Italika Racing) completed the top ten.

RETIRING FROM RACE 2: four more DNFs

The first retirements came on Lap 3 when Faerozi Toreqottullah (ProGP NitiRacing) collided with Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) at Turn 8, with the incident set to be investigated by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards after the race. Gennai was taken to the medical centre for a check-up after the crash. On Lap 8, Emiliano Ercolani (Kawasaki GP Project) crashed at Turn 3, but he was able to re-join the race although did stop with a technical issue shortly after. Filip Novotny (Accolade Funds Smrz Racing BGR) was also a retirement at a similar time to Ercolani, but they weren’t connected.

The top six from WorldSSP300 Race 2, full results here:

1. Benat Fernández (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kove)

2. Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport) +0.018s

3. Antonio Torres (Team ProDina XCI) +0.095s

4. Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki) +0.121s

5. David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) +0.133s

6. Phillip Tonn (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) +0.166s

Fastest lap: Julio Garcia, Kawasaki – 1’54.423s

Championship standings:

1. Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport) 40 points

2. Benat Fernández (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kove) 38

3. Antonio Torres (Team ProDina XCI) 32

4. Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) 25

5. Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki) 23

6. Phillip Tonn (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) 18

Next up, Assen! Don’t miss any action from the Dutch Round in two weeks using the WorldSBK VideoPass!