---
title: "Sofuoglu takes over championship lead with Portugal win"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/09/17/sofuoglu-takes-championship-lead-portugal-win/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "Uncategorised"
published: "2017-09-17T11:52:04Z"
modified: "2017-09-17T11:52:27Z"
---

# Sofuoglu takes over championship lead with Portugal win

Kenan Sofuoglu has taken over the lead of the World Supersport Championship after pipping Lucas Mahias to the victory in Portugal.

Pole man Sofuglu did not make the best of starts, the Turkish rider slipping back to fourth on the opening lap as PJ Jacobsen hit the front from Mahias and Jules Cluzel.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/09/835867600.jpg)

Cluzel, hunting his first win of the year, moved into the lead on lap five into the first corner, with Mahais following him through on Jacobsen.

However, by half distance, Sofuoglu has upped his pace and carved his way from fourth to take the lead into Turn 1.

The Puccetti rider proceeded to put a bit of daylight between himself and Mahias, though the Yamaha rider was able to reduce that gap over the next few laps.

As they started their final lap, Sofuoglu just held sway over Mahias as the plunged into the first corner, but the Frenchman’s challenge faded as he made a mess of the fifth corner.

This allowed Sofuoglu to build up a comfortable buffer to secure his fifth win of the season and take a four-point lead in the championship heading to the next round in France.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/09/697327410.jpg)

Cluzel clung onto the lead battle for much of the 18-lap contest, but dropped off on the final few laps.

The PTR Honda rider took a lonely third, while Lausitzring race winner Sheridan Morais just pipped Jacobsen to fourth on the run to the line.

Christian Gamarino took the chequered flag in a lonely sixth after Niki Tuuli crashed and Federico Caricasulo ran on at the first corner in the closing stages.

Caricasulo regrouped to take seventh ahead of Lorenzo Zanetti and Chris Bergman, while Rob Hartog completed the top 10 to take top honours in the European Superspot Cup.

Luke Stapleford recovered from a poor start to take 11th, with Hikari Okubo, Michael Canducci, Gino Rea and Hannes Soomer completing the final points paying positions.

Stapleford‘s countryman Kyle Ryde was an early retirement after a crash at Turn 7, while fellow Brits Kyle Smith and Stefan Hill joined the Puccetti rider on the sidelines.

![](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/09/2017-09-17-1.png)