WorldSSP300: Brutal battle in WorldSSP300 sees Garcia return to winning ways

The traditional frenetic WorldSSP300 saw an exciting last lap with numerous lead changes as the leading group battled for class supremacy. Despite looking like the race was going to go to the reigning champion Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300), the victory went to Marc Garcia (DS Junior Team), who made the most of the chaos that ensued in the final corner.

With the race getting underway, it was Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team) who led into the first turn, although Galang Hendra Pratama (Semakin Di Depan Biblion Motoxracing) took the lead half way through the opening lap. Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) was right in the mix too, whilst Ana Carrasco was also looking for a way into the leading positions. All the time, quietly going about his race strategy, 2017 champion Marc Garcia was keeping out of trouble and riding a clean race.

However, as so often with WorldSSP300, it would come down to the final lap. All race long, Hendra Pratama had been taking an acute line into Turn 6 but on the final lap, when it mattered, he couldn’t make his way through. At the front, Ana Carrasco was looking at her first win, as Scott Deroue (Kawasaki MOTOPORT) also tried to find his way through.

Marc Garcia was right in the mix though in third, and going into the final corner, he made a brave pass on the inside to push his way ahead. Despite slipstreaming to the line from Deroue, Garcia couldn’t be toppled and took his first win of the season at a track at which he clinched his 2017 WorldSSP300 title, whilst an unfortunate Carrasco completed the podium in third. It is the first podium in WorldSSP300 history to feature two former champions of the class!

Behind them, a whole raft of riders who had featured in the leading group in the frantic pace of the WorldSSP300 race. Manuel Gonzalez was beaten to the final podium position by Carrasco and thus took fourth, with Andy Verdoïa (BCD Yamaha MS Racing), Hendra Pratama, Jan-Ole Jahnig (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team), Hugo De Cancellis (Team Trasimeno Yamaha), Jeffrey Buis (MTM Racing Team) and Unai Orradre (BCD Yamaha MS Racing) completing the top ten.

Going into Sunday, Gonzalez leads Deroue in the championship by a narrow margin of just seven points!

P1 – Marc Garcia (DS Junior Team)
“I am very happy to experience again this feeling after a victory. I won the championship here and I am glad to finally be back on the podium. The team had been working really hard. We did a good job! Tomorrow I will try to win again”.

#ESPWorldSBK WorldSSP300 at Circuito de Jerez Angel Nieto –
Race 1
1. Marc Garcia (DS Junio Team)
2. Scott Deroue (Kawasaki MOTOPORT) +0.054
3. Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) +0.167

WorldSSP300 Championship Standings after
Race 1 – Round 4
1. Manuel Gonzalez (SPA) Kawasaki (63 points)
2. Scott Deroue (NED) Kawasaki (56 points)
3. Hugo De Cancellis (FRA) Yamaha (39 points)

Credits : Photos and content courtesy of WORLDSBK.com