Parkalgar Honda’s Eugene Laverty showed a clean pair of heels at the opening race of the WSS calendar, leading the field from flag to flag to win by more than 4 seconds from pole-setter Joan Lascorz on his Kawasaki and Ten Kate Honda rider Kenan Sofuoglu in third.

After qualifying in fourth place, Laverty got a great start and was leading the pack before the race was red flagged on the third lap due to oil on the track that saw Jason Di Salvo, Sofuoglu and Michele Pirro ending up on the tarmac.

After the restart it was Laverty once again who seized the initiative, quickly taking the lead with Lascorz and Pirro in hot pursuit.

The challenge didn’t last long and Laverty had a clear run as a four way battle for the remaining podium positions emerged behind him between Lascorz, Pirro, Sofuoglu and Katsuaki Fujiwara, the Japanese rider managing to take second place until losing control of his ZX6-R at Honda corner on lap 18.

The luck of the Irish was with Laverty as he stormed home on his CBR600RR for the fifth WSS win of his career from Lascorz and Sofuoglu in 2nd and 3rd. Triumph’s David Salom was in fourth and the Kawasaki of Fabian Foret rounded out the top five.

Despite showing good pace at the beginning of the race before the red flag, Chaz Davies couldn’t gel with his spare bike and finished in 12th place on his BE1 Triumph Daytona 675 and will be looking to redeem himself at the next round in Portimao on March 28.