World Superbikes: Jonathan Rea wins first Superbike race at Portimao

Rea secured a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the first feature Superbike race

Defending champion Jonathan Rea took a dominant start-to-finish victory in the first race of the weekend at the World Superbike round at Portimao, Portugal.

Rea finished 4.6 seconds ahead of Turkish rider Toprak Razgatlioglu, with Dutchman Michael van der Mark third.

For the Northern Irishman, it was his third win of the season but his first in the feature 20-lap races.

Rea's 10th career victory at the track sees him reduce series leader Scott Redding's advantage to eight points.

Rea set the pole position time on his Kawasaki and always looked on target to increase his overall tally of World Superbike wins to 91 as he extended his lead at the front throughout.

The 33-year-old handed Kawasaki their 150th win in the championship by taking victory in Saturday's 20-lap race.

Ducati rider Redding, who went into the weekend with a 24-point championship lead, could only manage a seventh-place finish.

Rea's Kawasaki team-mate Alex Lowes was fourth, Michael Ruben Rinaldi fifth and Loris Baz sixth.

The 10-lap Superpole race will be held on Sunday morning, followed by the second feature World Superbike event.

The championship resumed last week after a five-month break because of the coronavirus pandemic.