FIM Supersport World Championship

Motorland Aragon, Spain

April 3, 2016

Race Results (all on Pirelli tires):

1. Kenan SOFUOGLU, Turkey (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 16 laps, Total Race Time 30:58.615, Best Lap Time 1:55.344

2. Randy KRUMMENACHER, Switzerland (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -1.486 seconds, 1:55.789

3. Nico TEROL, Spain (MV Agusta F3 675), -2.943, 1:55.645

4. Jules CLUZEL, France (MV Agusta F3 675), -3.838, 1:55.809

5. Alessandro ZACCONE, Italy (Kaw ZX-6R), -4.106, 1:55.721

6. Axel BASSANI, Italy (Kaw ZX-6R), -4.177, 1:55.545

7. Federico CARICASULO, Italy (Hon CBR600RR), -9.059, 1:55.652

8. Zulfahmi KHAIRUDDIN, Malaysia (Kaw ZX-6R), -11.036, 1:55.399

9. Kevin WAHR, Germany (Hon CBR600RR), -18.095, 1:56.350

10. Christian GAMARINO, Italy (Kaw ZX-6R), -18.150, 1:56.123

22. Braedon ORTT, Canada (Honda CBR600RR), -1 lap, 2:01.300

24. Alex BALDOLINI, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), -10 laps, DNF, mechanical, 1:55.882

25. Lorenzo ZANETTI, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), -14 laps, DNF, mechanical, 1:56.220

30. Gino REA, UK (MV Agusta F3 675), -16 laps, DNF, mechanical, no lap time recorded

31. PJ JACOBSEN, USA (Hon CBR600RR), -16 laps, DNF, crash, no lap time recorded

32. A. IVANOV, Russia (Yam YZF-R6), -16 laps, DNF, crash, no lap time recorded

33. Aiden WAGNER, Australia (MV Agusta F3 675), DNF, crash, no lap time recorded

34. Roberto ROLFO, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), DNF, mechanical, no lap time recorded

World Championship Point Standings (after 3 races):

1. Krummenacher, 58 points

2. Sofuoglu, 45

3. Cluzel, 38

4. Caricasulo, 29

5. Jacobsen, 27

6. Terol, 21

7. TIE, Baldolini/Khairuddin, 20

9. Gamarino, 19

10. TIE, Anthony West/Kyle Smith/Rea/Ondrej Jezek, 16

More, from a press release issued by Dorna WSBK Press Office:

WorldSSP: Sofuoglu Gives A Masterclass in Spain

ESS riders get in on the action and home hero hits the podium

Reigning Champion Kenan Sofuoglu took a commanding victory at MotorLand as the FIM Europe Supersport Cup riders joined the WorldSSP grid for the first European race of the season, with 7 nationalities in the Top 8 by the end of the race. Turkish Puccetti rider Sofuoglu cut the Championship lead of his Swiss teammate Randy Krummenacher as fellow contender Jules Cluzel struggled slightly to find pace, crossing the line in P4 just behind home rider Nico Terol, who gained his first podium in WorldSSP.

Pole sitter Kenan Sofuoglu got away in the lead, with Honda rider PJ Jacobsen his closest immediate challenger after a great start for the American. He then attacked for the lead after Sofuoglu ran wide, unfortunately losing the front and sliding early out of the race.

A high rate of attrition in the first few laps saw Roberto Rolfo first forced to leave his 11th place grid spot before the getaway, before a multi-rider incident at Turn 1 saw debris litter the run off area. Wagner, Licciardi, Rea and Orellana all found themselves suffering the same fate as Jacobsen. MV Agusta rider Lorenzo Zanetti was then unfortunately forced to pull off the circuit with a technical problem, as Sofuoglu began to pull away in the lead ahead of Cluzel, Krummenacher and Baldolini. The number 25 of the Italian then pulled off the racing line along the start-finish straight as a plume of smoke from the back of his MV Agusta announced an early end to his race.

San Carlo Team Italia riders Bassani and Zaccone were the key players from the new FIM Europe Supersport Class as they challenged the regulars in the top 5, with Schmidt Racing’s local rider and former 125 Champion Nico Terol getting past both and able to get himself into podium contention before pulling away to find a margin to breathe, crossing the line for his first rostrum of the year.

Malaysian rider Zulfahmi Khairuddin, who had begun the race from 17th after a problem with the foot rest on his Orelac Racing VerdNatura machine in Tissot-Superpole, made progress up into the top 5 before finally crossing the line in 8th for a great haul of points, with teammate Nacho Calero also coming home in the points.

Randy Krummenacher retains his points lead in WorldSSP after MotorLand, with the Swiss rider adding another 20 and forcing teammate Sofuoglu to play catch up. The action will get underway again in two weeks in Assen as Cluzel and Jacobsen look to bounce back and Sofuoglu looks to keep cutting that gap.

More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:

1-2 For Kawasaki As Sofuoglu Wins From Krummenacher

A perfect race day for the official Kawasaki WorldSSP team saw Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) win the 16-lap contest at Motorland Aragon, from his team-mate and championship leader Randy Krummenacher. In winning today Sofuoglu moved to second in the overall championship standings.

Sofuoglu’s margin of victory, by 1.486 seconds from Krummenacher, was enough to give him his first full point score of the FIM Supersport World Championship season. This was his third race win in a row for Kawasaki at the 5.077km long circuit in the north East of Spain.

Sofuoglu had qualified on pole position on his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R on Saturday and made a start-to-finish leading race that went perfectly to plan. He has now scored 33 race wins in his career.

Krummenacher had to fight hard for his second place at times but once he had got clear of the pack he pushed on as his pace improved, chasing Kenan on the final laps but not quite able to make enough ground on him to contest the win on the final corners. This was his second podium finish in three career WSS races, after winning first time out in Australia.

In the championship standings Krummenacher has 58 points, Sofuoglu 45 and today’s fourth placed rider, Jules Cluzel, is now third overall with 38 points. In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Kawasaki leads by 19 points after three races.

The next round takes place at Assen in the Netherlands, with raceday on 17 April.

Kenan Sofuoglu stated: “I wanted to lead and keep going because yesterday and the day before I had good pace. The team made incredible adjustments on the bike on Friday night and I was getting faster and faster. We did a good lap and took pole position in Superpole and in the race the goal was to make a good start and take the lead. When I saw a two second gap I said I should just keep a good pace. On the last two or three laps the gap was getting closer. I just decided to keep the pace, take 25 points and the plan worked very well. Now, step-by-step, we are coming back in the championship and hopefully soon we can lead it.”

Randy Krummenacher stated: “I can be really satisfied with my second podium this year. It feels great and the championship is going well for me. At the beginning of the race Kenan was pushing so had and I did not want to push that hard, but then I got a great rhythm and I felt myself coming closer to him again. Not enough at the end. Or sure I have to keep on working but I felt that I rode better than I did in Australia and Thailand so we keep improving and that is a really good thing. Thanks a lot to the team, I think it is great for them to have a first and second place – and to Kawasaki.”

A great day for Kawasaki in general saw six Kawasaki riders inside the top ten places. FIM Europe Supersport Cup (ESS) riders also made an impact, with Alessandro Zaccone (San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki) fifth and his team-mate Axel Bassani sixth. Both were only just over four seconds from race winner Sofuoglu and also gave Kawasaki a 1-2 in the internal ESS rankings.

Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was eighth in the Motorland race and GoEleven Kawasaki rider Christian Gamarino tenth. Ilya Mikhalchik (DS Junior Team Kawasaki) placed 13th and was followed by two other points scoring Kawasaki riders, Ondrej Jezek (GoEleven Kawasaki) and Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura). Lachlan Epis (Response RE Team Kawasaki) was 21st.

More, from a press release issued by Honda:

Early retirement for Jacobsen from Aragón’s WorldSSP race

Round 3 – Aragon

MotorLand Aragón, Spain

It has been a difficult race day for PJ Jacobsen and the Honda WorldSSP Team today at the MotorLand Aragón. After a great launch from fourth place on the grid, the 22-year-old American lost the front of his Honda CBR600RR machine at turn 2 on the opening lap of the World Supersport race, in an early attempt to take the lead from Kawasaki’s Kenan Sofuoglu. This is the first DNF of the season for Jacobsen, who earlier this morning was third at the end of the 15-minute warm up.

Jacobsen is now fifth in the World Supersport standings, 31 points shy of current leader Randy Krummenacher. The next round of the 2016 FIM Supersport World Championship will take place at the TT Circuit in the Netherlands in a fortnight’s time.

Patrick Jacobsen 2

DNF

I’m really sorry for what happened in the race today. I was trying to get an early lead just like in Thailand but I pushed too much and crashed out. It’s a shame really, because the team did a great job this weekend and I felt I had what it takes to fight for the podium. I just need to move on now, refocus and make sure I’ll be ready for Assen.

Pieter Breddels

Technical Manager

Unfortunately our race lasted only one and half corners, but these are the things that can happen in racing. PJ was probably a little bit too eager in trying to take the lead from Sofuoglu. It was a just a little bit too much, too early. Nevertheless, we have shown we can be competitive this weekend and this is a good sign for Assen, where we hope we can get back on the podium.

More, from a press release issued by MV Agusta Reparto Corse:

CLUZEL 4° IN WORLDSSP RACE AT ARAGON. CAMIER CLOSE TO THE SCORE POINT ZONE IN WORLDSBK RACE 2 

3 APRIL 2016

The MotorLand Aragon circuit, in Spain, provided the venue for the third round of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship, with MV Agusta Reparto Corse team consolidating the 3rd position in WorldSSP Championship Standing thanks Jules Cluzel’s 4th place.

In WorldSBK Leon Camier had not taken part to the morning Warm Up but when the race time has come he was ready in starting grid. Started from the 7th place on grid, the talented British rider did his best to fight within the top 10 of the race but he was slowed down by a technical problem. Camier ended up his is race in 16th position, really close to the score point position.

After the good qualifying sessions Jules Cluzel and Lorenzo Zanetti had to deal with a difficult WorldSSP race. The French rider fought for the whole race with the top 3 riders and he ended up 4th, consolidating the 3rd position in Championship Standing. Cluzel’s teammate Lorenzo Zanetti started the race 6th on grid and he immediately pushed hard to close the gap with the front riders but he was forced to pull off the race because of a technical problem to his machine after only two laps.

Leon Camier #2 – I am a bit sad for this result because during the qualifying session I have always been in top 10. With my team we are working on the data we acquired here in Aragon and I will try to improve my score the next race in Assen.

Jules Cluzel #16 – It has been a difficult race but I expected it. I tried to do my best for race and get the podium but I really missed a lot of grip and now we have to figure out the reason why. Anyway I am quite happy since we got some good points for the championship standing.

Lorenzo Zanetti #87 – We have been on top positions for all the weekend. I pushed hard in race and I got the fast lap but I suffered a technical problem and I had to pull out. Now I want to stay focused on my goals, trying to get as many podium as I can.