This gives the Glengormley rider four more championship points.

The Proton KR3 rider started from 12th place on the grid and finished in the same position after reaching 11th place and then falling back to 13th.

McWilliams was riding with a new chasis developed recently by his team.

His team-mate Nobuatsu Aoki from Japan failed to finish the race, which was won by Valentino Rossi from Tohru Ukawa.

McWilliams was pleased to get some points on the board in Spain.

"We took a big gamble by using a new chasis which wasn't really ready to race but it cured the pumping problem I had been having and was easier on the tyres," he said.

"The race wasn't much fun as I lost side grip.

"But even so, the bigger bikes were holding me up, then getting away from me on the straight. It was tough.

"I felt I could have done better but in the end I was happy to finish the race."

Meanwhile, Gordon Crockard took overall third place in the latest round of the British Championship at Wakes Colme on Sunday behind Carl Nunn and Paul Cooper.

The Newtownards rider, who won the Blair Main Award last week, was third in his first race of the day, fourth in the second and won the last.

Three points

He still leads the British series but by a reduced margin from Nunn, who notched two firsts and a second.

In the 125 class, Adam Lyons had a third and a fifth and Philip McCullough a 10th.

Also on Sunday, Adrian Coates took 13th and 17th places in the two British Superbike Championship rounds at Brands Hatch.

The Padgett's Suzuki rider from Antrim picked up three championship points to move up to 17th in the standings.

His team-mate Marty Nutt from Castlerock finished 20th in both races.

In the 125cc race, Michael Laverty was sixth and his brother John was eighth while Stephen Thompson finished 12th in the Superstock event.