The dreams of a podium finish at his hime GP for Ben Watson were dashed after two poor starts, but he still managed to stage amazing rides to take fourth overall.

Watson was dead last off the start line in the opening race, and came from right at the back to a stunning sixth place. In moto two he started outside the top 10 and came through to a stunning fourth place, shadowing HRC man Calvin Vlaanderen over the line at the end. The South African, fourth in the first race, took the final podium spot. Vlaanderen said: “I saw Ben catching with ten minutes to go but had a good gap. It’s good to get another podium – the second in a row.”

At the front world champion and points leader Pauls Jonass took another double win. He led the first moto early on, with his team-mate Jorge Prado behind him for the whole moto. In race two Prado led but Jonass caught and passed him, pulling away. So Jonass took the double win from his rival Prado.

Jonass said: “I felt really good. I tried to ride my own lines, and get a win. It’s good to get a one-one.”

Prado said: “I had good starts and tried to pull away in the second race but then I couldn’t go faster. Jonass pushed me a lot and passed me. I tried to pass him back but couldn’t do it.”

It was a disasterous day for Husky’s Thomas Kjer Olsen who had a double DNF with mechanical issues. He is still third in the series but now just nine points in front of Watson.

Adam Sterry had a 12th in the opener, two spots in front of Conrad Mewse with Josh Gilbert 17th. The Honda man was 19th in moto two with Mewse 22nd.