WorldSSP – Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) takes back-to-back wins as Yamaha win their 100th WorldSSP race.

It was a race full of tension, drama and excitement for the FIM Supersport World Championship at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” as rookie Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) claimed his second victory in as many races and took the Championship lead at the Pirelli Made in Italy Emilia-Romagna Round.

It was Aegerter who stole a march on his rivals at the start as he got a superb launch off the line, with the Swiss rider remaining at the front of the field after he secured pole position in the morning Tissot Superpole session. It was a complete contrast to Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) and Luca Bernardi (CM Racing), who joined Aegerter on the front row, with both losing ground at the start of the race.

Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) jumped up from the second row of the grid to second place and immediately put Estoril Race 2 winner Aegerter under pressure, although the Swiss rider was able to withstand that pressure in the early stages of the race.

Gonzalez found himself being forced wide by Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) in the middle stages of the race as the Frenchman looked to move into the podium places, and although he was able to briefly jump up into third place, he found himself shifted down to fourth place by a resurgent Bernardi, who also took advantage of Gonzalez running wide to move up the order.

Once Bernardi passed Cluzel, he set about closing down Odendaal for second place while Aegerter pulled a gap on the South African rider, with Aegerter able to make it back-to-back wins following his success at Race 2, while also claiming Yamaha’s 100^th victory in WorldSSP. Bernardi was able to pass Odendaal on Lap 14 in the 18-lap to move into second place, with Aegerter his next target. Odendaal had other ideas, though, and kept the pressure on the Sammarinese rider although Bernardi was able to hold on for second place.

Cluzel had no answer to Bernardi’s pace while he also had to hold back Gonzalez who was looking to move back ahead of Cluzel, with the battle ongoing throughout the second half of the race; Cluzel just about holding on by just 0.031s on a race to the line coming out of the final corner.

Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) claimed a sixth place finish ahead of 2019 Champion Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Time) as the Swiss rider secured his best result of the 2021 season with seventh place, after working his way through the field and battling with Can Öncü (GMT94 Yamaha) with the Turkish rider taking his best result in 2021.

Finnish rider Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) finished in ninth place after battling back from two crashes in Tissot Superpole to secure a top ten finish, ahead of One Event rider Filippo Fuligni (D34G Racing) who rounded out the top ten after a strong one-off weekend for the Italian rider, although Roberto Mercandelli (Team Rosso e Nero) had crossed the line in tenth, he was demoted one place after the chequered flag after he exceeded track limits on the last lap; Mercandelli classified in 11^th place.

Kevin Manfredi (Altogo Racing Team); Manfredi the highest place WorldSSP Challenge competitor in the field. Indonesia’s Galang Hendra Pratama (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) finished inside the points with 13^th place, ahead of Finland’s Vertti Takala (Kallio Racing) and Leonardo Taccini (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) completing the points; Taccini claiming points in WorldSSP for the first time in his career.

Marc Alcoba (Yamaha MS Racing) had crossed the line in the points but was penalised for irresponsible riding with a four-position drop following a collision with Maria Herrera (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing) at the final corner on the final lap; Alcoba classified in 16^th place with Herrera forced to retire.

Luigi Montella (Chiodo Moto Racing) came home in 17^th place, ahead of One Event rider Luca Ottaviani (RM Racing) in 18^th place, while Stephane Frossard (Moto Team Jura Vitesse) and Davide Stirpe (Extreme Racing Service) completed the top 20. Armando Pontone (Bike e Motor Racing Team finished in 21^st with Eugene James McManus (WRP Wepol Racing) and Federico Fuligni (VFT Racing) completing the classified runners.

Italian rider Davide Pizzoli (VFT Racing) was the first retirement following a crash at Turn 10 on the opening lap of the race, with Shogo Kawasaki (G.A.P. MOTOZZO Racing by Puccetti) crashing out on Lap 2. Massimo Roccoli (Promodriver Organization) was a retirement on Lap 3 following a crash, after the Italian was forced to start at the back of the grid following a tyre pressure infringement, while Sweden’s Christoffer Bergman (Wojcik Racing Team) retired with a technical issue in the early stages.

Matteo Patacca (Bike e Motor Racing Team) crashed out of the race at Turn 5 on Lap 5, while Raffaele De Rosa was also a retirement following his crash at the Turn 1-2 chicane. Federico Caricasulo’s (GMT94 Yamaha) re-adjustment to WorldSSP continues to be a difficult affair after he crashed out at Turn 3, while Italian veteran Michel Fabrizio (G.A.P. MOTOZOO Racing by Puccetti) also retired.

P1 Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha)
“I pushed very hard. I had a good start. I could make the holeshot and lead every lap of the race and make the fastest lap time. I had a two second gap in the second to last lap so I could cruise in the last lap to the finish line. I want to say a big thanks to the team, they made a fantastic job. They made big improvements since Aragon and Estoril, so they bike is very very fast. Tomorrow we have another chance to show our potential. I’m sure it’ll be again very hot, the asphalt temperature is very hot. It was fantastic to see some fans around the track to cheer us. And it’s nice that is sunny and that we end in first place”

P2 Luca Bernardi (CM Racing)
“I’m very happy for this position. It’s the second podium, I’m really happy. Today is very hot. I pushed very hard to get Aegerter but… Today the feeling with the bike was okay and tomorrow I’ll try to have a podium. I want to say thank you to all my team, all my family and I’m very happy. Thank you.”

P3 Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team)
“I pushed very hard. I had a good start. I could make the holeshot and lead every lap of the race and make the fastest lap time. I had a two second gap in the second to last lap so I could cruise in the last lap to the finish line. I want to say a big thanks to the team, they made a fantastic job. They made big improvements since Aragon and Estoril, so they bike is very very fast. Tomorrow we have another chance to show our potential. I’m sure it’ll be again very hot, the asphalt temperature is very hot. It was fantastic to see some fans around the track to cheer us. And it’s nice that is sunny and that we end in first place”

WorldSSP at Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” – Race 1

1. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha)
2. Luca Bernardi (CM Racing) +1.064s
3. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +1.389s
4. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) +5.040s
5. Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team +5.071s
6. Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +10.283sWorldSSP at Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” – Race 1

Championship Standings (after Race 1, Round 3)

1. Dominique Aegerter (SUI) Yamaha (94 points)
2. Steven Odendaal (RSA) Yamaha (91 points)
3. Luca Bernardi (SMR) Yamaha (62 points)

Credits : Photos and content courtesy of WORLDSBK.com