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The official race report service of Kawasaki Racing Team.

17 Settembre 2017

Sofuoglu Wins After Portimao Masterclass

Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) took the championship lead in the WorldSSP championship for the first time in 2017 after a textbook race win at the Portimao circuit in the Algarve.

Kenan’s fifth win of the season came after he had qualified in pole, but he had been in fourth position in the early laps until he moved forward to make a push for the race win. The final contest was between Kenan and his closest championship rival, Lucas Mahias, with Kenan doing enough to win his fifth race of the year, and the 43rd of his career.
 
After his latest competitive display on his official Kawasaki, Kenan leads Mahias in the championship by four points. Sofuoglu was unable to score in the first three rounds of the year, through injury and then a collision caused by another rider, but he has picked up 145 points from a possible 150 in the past six races alone.
 
Kyle Ryde (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was in a good position to score strongly in the early laps but he fell on lap three, at turn seven, and could not restart. In the championship Kyle sits ninth, on 43 points.
 
Three rounds of the championship remain, the next one coming along on 1 October, at Magny Cours in France.
 
Kenan Sofuoglu, stated: “If you win races after a really good fight you enjoy it more. This one was a very good race for everybody because Lucas Mahias and me we are also fighting for the championship, and we fought today in Portimao. This race was very special because of this. I think it is a very good last part of the season. I have to say a very big thanks to my team because yesterday we had a crash but we came back from it to win. Losing the chance to score points in the first three races made me hungry, but also relaxed and able to just ride the bike and try to win races. At the moment I am just enjoying it and today I rode the bike to win the race, not the championship. I want to continue in this way and I hope it will work well and we can win the championship when we get to Qatar for the final round.”
 
Kyle Ryde, stated: “Obviously I am disappointed that I could not finish the race but I got a good start and was maybe 10th or 12th, in the leading group, and with a big gap behind me to the next one. I was trying my hardest and just made a silly little mistake. I took too much brake and tucked the front. Although I am unhappy that I crashed I am happy that I got such a good start and was in there with the top guys. It was a tough way to finish but least I know I was there.”
 
ESS rider Rob Hartog (Team Hartog Jenik Against Cancer Kawasaki) was tenth in the Portimao race and Michael Canducci (3570 Puccetti Racing FMI Kawasaki) 13th. Gino Rea (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) ended his raceday 14th.
 
Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) just missed the points in 17th place. Kazuki Watanabe (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) 17th was an early faller, as were Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) and Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing Kawasaki).