Ulsterman Rea was just 11 points adrift of Pitt going into the penultimate round of the series, but he was cruelly removed from the championship equation when Robin Harms clipped the rear wheel of the 21-year-old's Hannspree Ten Kate Honda at the hairpin on lap ten while he was holding third position.

Rea remounted and eventually clawed his way back to tenth place by the chequered flag, but his efforts were in vain with Aussie Pitt securing enough points to decide the outcome of a thrilling championship duel with one round remaining.

Gracious in defeat, Rea congratulated his team-mate and ruled out the collision with Harms as a racing incident.

“I felt I could have run at whatever pace I wanted today. I just found it difficult to pass Andrew down the straights and I doubt I would have broken away,” he said.

“I’ll put what happened down as a racing incident, and I’m not one to bear a grudge – it’s just a shame I won’t be able to battle for the title in Portugal.

“But congratulations to Andrew, who’s been on it all season. He’s a worthy champion and I’m really happy for him and the whole team.”

Pitt’s victory represents his second world title after he won the Supersport crown in 2001.

He was involved in a thrilling, race-long battle with Suzuki’s Barry Veneman and Josh Brookes, but turned the screw in the latter stages of the race and held off Veneman to win by one second, with Brookes third.

“Jonny missed out today and I’m sure it would’ve been a tough battle right to the end,” said Pitt.

“I didn’t actually know that he was out until I worked it out by looking at the big TV screen. I needed a bit of luck, having been taken out myself a couple of times this season.”

Rea can still finish as runner-up at Portimao in Portugal on November 7.

However, he is just seven points clear of third-placed Brookes going into the final race.

Next season, Rea will make the switch to the World Superbike Championship, renewing his BSB partnership with Ryuichi Kiyonari in Ronald Ten Kate's team, which will also retain the services of Carlos Checa.

Meanwhile, Aussie Troy Bayliss took the World Superbike honours after finishing third in the first race in France and winning the second. Yamaha’s Nori Haga was second on both occasions.