All-Kawasaki podium in Sportbike Race 2: Veneman wins ahead of Salvador and Torres, Bartolini 5th on Triumph

Full Kawasaki podium in World Sportbike Race 2. Loris Venerman (MTM) wins ahead of Salvador and Torres (both Team Prodina). Good result for Elia Bartolini, fifth on the factory CM team’s Triumph.

The new World Sportbike Championship looked almost like a photocopy of the old and much-criticized World Supersport 300. In the opening round, the much-hoped-for revolution on the eve did not materialize. Great balance, plenty of overtakes, and even with 7 different manufacturers (Honda was also present at Portimão as a wild card), the bikes at the front were the same: Kawasaki, practically the twin of the one used in Supersport, albeit with the limitations required by the Sportbike regulations.

On the eve of the championship, Elia Bartolini said he wanted to fight for the win and indeed he battled for the top positions on the Triumph, ultimately taking a fifth place that bodes well for the season.

Matteo Vannucci, on the Aprilia of the Revo M2 team, wanted to turn the page after a disastrous Saturday, and at the start of the race it looked like he might manage it. He took the lead on the first lap and immediately tried to break away, gaining almost a second on the chasers. However, the attempt to escape was in vain. Loris Veneman caught him after a couple of laps. Moments later, the Tuscan rider ran wide at Turn 5 and dropped to 11th, losing the lead group. He tried to fight back and finished the race in eighth place. Bruno Ieraci was tenth on the Triumph, and rookie Thomas Benetti was thirteenth on the Aprilia.

Yamaha is struggling in MotoGP, in Superbike, and even in Sportbike. Although the R7s are the most numerous bikes on the grid, they are failing to take center stage. The only scorers were Carter Thompson and Marco Gaggi, fourteenth and fifteenth respectively.