Portimao to air in HD

For the first time on this season, viewers will be able to watch the World Superbike Championship in high definition next weekend.

Coverage from the second round in Portimao, Portugal begins at 11.15am on Sunday 27 with on-site news and analysis before race one gets underway LIVE at 12pm. Race two will be shown at 5pm.

British Eurosport 2 will also feature the full day's racing live, with six hours of coverage starting at 10.30am in Eurosport's World Superbikes studio, where front man Tony Carter will be joined by former World and British Superbike champion Neil Hodgson who returns to the BSB series this season. Also on hand to provide his expert views will be former Superbike and MotoGP rider James Haydon.

"Portimao is one of the best circuits in the world for Superbike racing, all the guys are going to be bashing and racing elbow to elbow," Carter said. "After what we saw at Phillip Island, which not only gave us a pair of terrifically exciting Superbike races, but also Leon Haslam leading the world, Portimao is going to be fantastic!"

"This will be a must watch event and because it's in HD, you're going to see every single detail of the best Superbike riders in the world going toe to toe."

Guiding viewers through the day's racing will be commentator Jack Burnicle and former BSB and WSB rider James Whitham.

"A man to look out for next weekend will be Xerox Ducati's Michel Fabrizio, who has an outstanding record - a first and a second - in his two visits to Portimao," Burnicle said. "But three of the Brits have also performed well here. Jonathan Rea almost won last year and finished twice on the podium, Leon Haslam was third as a wild card in 2008 and Shakey Byrne finished twice fourth last year on his Ducati, only just squeezed off the rostrum in both races."

"Now we have the race in HD, I'm excited about getting an even more piercing glimpse of the fierce concentration in riders' eyes when they wear clear visors!"