Round three proved to be Scott & Chaz’s biggest challenge yet this season with Portimao providing an uphill battle for the duo.

Prior to Saturday’s races, they both spent time playing with the V4 Panigale set-up, neither finding quite the right balance. Redding did close the gap somewhat by the end of FP2, just a fraction of a second off the quickest lap on the day.

Saturday’s race 1 was a hard slog despite a promising first half from Redding. The Englishman felt the bike losing ground and with the leading pack snapping at his heels, then came the inevitable overtakes. Scott fought hard to not fall too far back but after his successes in round two; a place of 7^th was a little deflating.

Chaz rode a disappointing race whereby the bike set-up hindered his performance from early on. Always the fighter, he worked it to the limit to pull off some overtakes late in the race, yet 11^th is where he finished up.

Bikes tweaked and a good night’s sleep made all the difference to the pair for Sunday’s races. Despite starting from 5^th in the second row, Redding made easy progress of the first lap, pushing his way to second place. During the second half of the race, struggling to hustle for the top spot, he had Van Der Mark putting pressure on Scott. He fought hard to keep his position until the flag came down.

Chaz started in the less than favourable position of 13^th following a crash in the earlier Superpole. The determined Welshman, now happier with the bike set-up outmanoeuvred rider after rider to find the leading pack. An amazing recovery to be placed in 4^th by the final laps.

"It has been a difficult weekend and for this reason ending with a podium is a precious result for me and for the whole team… I tried to stay close to Rea to create a gap with the group behind but in the second part of the race, I struggled a lot especially with the front. When Van Der Mark got me I only thought about defending myself to conquer this result. I am happy for me and for the team. We go to Aragon with great conviction". – Scott Redding

"The goal is always to bring home a trophy but I have to admit it was still a good race… Unfortunately, the contact with Laverty in SuperPole Race forced me to start from the fifth row and this didn't allow me to stay with the front group. The race pace, however, was very good and for this reason, I am satisfied.” – Chaz Davies

Michael Rinaldi – also sponsored by FAI – rode consistently well this weekend. The young Italian, who also riding a Panigale V4 came in 5^th in race one, having slipped past Redding. He then pulled off 6^th in Sunday’s race having been just off the pace of the leading pack.

Aragon is the next stop of this world tour where action will resume on the 28-30^th August.