Presenting, highlights of the first FIM World Supersport race of 2016, from the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, Australia. The support event, to the FIM World Superbike Championship, with the smaller, but equally exciting, 600cc motorcycles.
Turkey's Kenan Sofuoglu, made history in 2015, becoming the first four-time consecutive World Supersport Champion. This race, will last 18 laps. Will anyone prevent Kenan Sofuoglu from becoming the first five-time World Supersport champion? The breeze is cool, blowing across the Southern Ocean. On Monday and Tuesday, there were test sessions, and some short practice sessions. Super pole, was a wild one. Kenan Sofuoglu is the favorite, going into this event. Anything can happen, and it usually does.
Sofuoglu rides a factory Kawasaki ZX6R, as opposed to the ZX10R which is the Superbike machine. Sofuoglu's titles came in 2007, 2010, 2012, and 2015. He has been on pole in Australia before, and won a race, here in Australia, in 2009. Frenchman Jules Cluzel is someone else to watch out for. Cluzel is another fast rider, who has won here before. Cluzel is down in eighth spot, and he's had a litany of problems. The new regulations mean the MV Agusta 675cc bikes, do not have traction control, because it isn't allowed.
Kenan Sofuoglu is good riding without electronic assistance. The MV Agusta F3 675 does have an advantage, with what is called a blip, on the throttle, meaning the riders don't push the clutch in with their left hand, when shifting, under braking. With Jules Cluzel, he had a fall in turn eleven on Friday afternoon. He broke both legs, in a big fall in Jerez, Spain, last year. While he's recovered from that injury, and is able to race again, he had another spill in the warm up, before the race. Cluzel says he's still trying to come to terms with having no traction control or other electronic aids, on the motorcycle.
SSP bikes are not allowed to use traction control, per new regulations, put in place by Dorna and the FIM. The bikes go out on their formation lap. Cluzel needs points, before moving on to round two in Thailand, and then, onto the races in Europe. Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, won both the World Supersport and European Super Stock 600 titles, last year. They have Kenan Sofuoglu as their lead rider, and debutante, Randy Krummenacher, from France, who moves over to World Supersport, after racing in Moto2 for a few years.
Anthony West, is here, running bike #13. #13 is an unlucky number in any kind of racing. West had problems with the tail section and the fairing of the bike, flapping around. He was third quick in warmup, behind Sofuoglu, and Krummenacher. West, is a wildcard, for this race. Using a wildcard team, with mechanics who are not as experienced as those who are full-time in the series, is a bit of a risk. But, we'll see what West does. The starting procedure in SSP is the same as in World Superbike. The red lights are switched on, for a duration of two to five seconds. When they go out, we race. There is no green light, or green flag.
Kenan Sofuoglu has 24 pole positions in World Supersport. Randy Krummenacher, as mentioned, is doing well with World Supersport, after spending such a long time in Moto2 competition. Sofuoglu is the most experienced racer in this field, with 105 World Supersport starts, to his credit, and, he's aiming today, for his 70th podium finish. American rider Patrick "P.J." Jacobsen riding a Honda CBR600RR, has switched from #99 to #2, and is looking strong as well. That is the same spot he finished in points in 2015. He won twice, as well, scoring victories in the rounds in Malaysia, and in Jerez, Spain.
He was on pole in Malaysia, and became the first American to win a World Supersport race, also in Malaysia. Randy Krummenacher was fastest over testing for two days. How will he do with racing, and keeping his tires together? He seems more comfortable on the 600 than in Moto2. Watch out for Italian racer, Federico Caricasulo, on the #64 Honda CBR600RR for Bardahl Evan Brothers Honda Racing. Caricasulo was a winner in Super Stock 600, last year.
Caricasulo qualified fourth, ahead of World SSP winner Lorenzo Zanetti. It should be noted, Caricasulo, before stepping up to the 600cc machines, he was winning, and racing well on 125cc bikes. Continuing to look at the contenders, we come next, to Alex Baldolini, also on an MV Agusta. Baldolini rides bike #25 for Race Department ATK#25. This is a family run operation. Baldolini is starting his fourth season of racing.
More contenders include the Go11 Kawasaki team, with Italian rider, Christian Gamarino. Gamarino, could finish in the top five in this race, if his tires don't give him trouble. The track temperatures are manageable. Phillip Island is the toughest track for tires, and the riders in Supersport, push these 600cc rockets so hard, that the tires will fall off, pretty quickly, in terms of performance. With the exception of Sofuoglu, a lot of these chaps couldn't do long runs in testing. Sofuoglu has had a base setting on the ZX-6R Kawasaki, for quite a while.
Watch out for Britain's Kyle Ryde as well. He is on bike #77, the Rainieri - Med SC Racing Yamaha YZF R6. Ryde, was runner-up in British Super Sport competition, last year, to a rider, also starting this race. That is, his fellow Englishman, Luke Stapleford. Kyle Ryde has come on like gangbusters and has been a sensation. His manager, is Kawasaki World Superbike racer, Jonathan Rea. Rea and Ryde, met a race last year. Will Stapleford be able to mount a challenge? We're going to find out, pretty soon, folks.
Kyle Ryde got out for the Super Pole session in World Super Sport, after having a massive smash in the third free practice session, at the Hay Shed. We move, to another Kyle. On bike #111, it's Kyle Smith, also from Great Britain. Smith, won the World Supersport race, at the end of 2015, in Qatar. We are ready, to race, in World Super Sport. Can Kenan Sofuoglu's quest for five championships, be derailed? We'll see. We are ready, for a start.
We have one rider, who won't take the start in this race. #19 Kevin Wahr, of Germany, on the Gemar Balloons - Team Rini Honda CBR600RR. We also will look out for Japanese wildcard rider, Hikari Okubo on the CIA Landlord Insurance Honda CBR600RR. Caboose on this field, is the youngest ever full-time entry in the series. Australian Lachlan Epis, on the #83 Response RE Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R. Epis, is caboose on the field, in 26th place. The bikes are on their warm up lap. It's too bad Kevin Wahr, will not be in this race. He is unfit for this opening race.
We have 18 laps scheduled, for this race. Kenan Sofuoglu has put a gap on his rivals. To beat him in this race, someone will have to get in front of him, and upset his rhythm. Watch for Jules Cluzel on the MV Agusta. He won this race, last year. The bikes form up, for the start. Stand by. We are ready for the first race of FIM World Super Sport 2016, and it begins... now! Federico Caricasulo has made a great start from his grid position. Caricasulo has already made his way past Randy Krummenacher, and P.J. Jacobsen is already going for it, too.
Jacobsen leads, with Caricasulo in second spot. Kenan Sofuoglu has dropped from pole, to third spot. Jules Cluzel is fifth, as Randy Krummenacher makes his way past Lorenzo Zanetti. Cluzel forces Krummenacher wide, as Sofuoglu makes his way to second spot. Cluzel is fourth, past Krummenacher. P.J. Jacobsen leads through Siberia. Jacobsen crashed in Siberia corner in practice due to tire issues. Over the top of Lukey Heights, Kenan Sofuoglu is making his move. He dives inside P.J. Jacobsen for the lead, and Cluzel makes a move on Caricasulo, and it sticks.
Coming out of turn 11, Lorenzo Zanetti gets majorlysideways on his MV Agusta F3 675. He saved it and continues. Cluzel, meanwhile, takes Jacobsen, and Sofuoglu, for the race lead! Yikes! With these 600s, you can slingshot to the front of the pack, very quickly. Krummenacher is now second. Caricasulo drops to fifth, with Baldolini next, while Sofuoglu stays second. Zulfahmi Khairuddin has also made a great start, on the #63 Kawasaki ZX-6R. Lorenzo Zanetti runs really wide and ALMOST crashes! Thank goodness, he saved the motorcycle! That was close!
Zanetti was very close to hitting Anthony West as well. Randy Krummenacher gives a big hello to Jules Cluzel, and dives down the inside! Hello, this is Randy Krummenacher, your competition in Supersport, letting you know I am here, Monsieur Cluzel. P.J. Jacobsen also gets by Cluzel, as we are just a lap or so into this thing, and it's hot and heavy already! Three different motorcycles in the top three places. Kawasaki vs. Honda vs. MV Agusta. Cluzel is coming, for Jacobsen. This is a fair fight, for the race lead.
Kenan Sofuoglu doesn't want to pounce too early. He's watching these other blokes, like a hawk right now. Anthony West, is on a charge, and he's now into the top five. Cluzel is trying yet another move down into the right hand corner. Anthony West is now setting his sights on Kenan Sofuoglu. Jacobsen, Cluzel, Krummenacher, Sofuoglu, and West, the top five. Kyle Smith, may have an issue with his motorcycle. Keeping an eye on that. Right now, though, the battle for the lead, is red hot. We have eight riders fighting for position at the sharp end.
Kyle Smith, and Japan's Hikari Okubo are both having issues. Okubo, has crashed, and it's game over for him. Not a good day for the CIA Landlord Insurance Honda's. Side-by-side stuff, between Anthony West and Federico Caricasulo. Wow. Sofuoglu is now sixth. Kevin Wahr's team mate Glenn Scott, made big progress in the morning warm up on the second Gemar Balloons Team Lorini Honda. Oh dear... more argy bargy! Alex Baldolini runs wide, on the customer MV Agusta. Gamarino passes Baldolini, into MG corner.
Thirteen laps left in this race. Jacobsen passes Cluzel for the lead. Anthony West is also running well, as he is third, after starting 12th. 2.7 seconds cover the top 14 riders! Gino Rea, is 14th right now. Oh no. Anthony West, has been ordered by race control, to drop two places, for overtaking under a local yellow flag. That's a definite no no in road racing, whether it is cars, or bikes. But, this does not matter to Anthony West, as, on lap five, he's your new leader! West will have to let his rivals through.
West allows Jacobsen, Cluzel, and Krummenacher, through. The battle continues. Riders have to slow down, when they get a penalty sign, and let others through. These blokes are surely going for it. When we get to Europe, we will have two classes of riders in Super Sport, because the old Super Stock 600 division, no longer exists. It's very similar to the Open class in MotoGP competition. The European riders will be eligible to go for overall wins. At the end of lap six, Kenan Sofuoglu passes Randy Krummenacher.
The scuffle for the top three, continues. Twelve laps left in the race. The top three needs to work as a group, and try to get away from the rest of the field. Anthony West, is indeed going after Jules Cluzel right now. Anthony West, is a wildcard for this race. So, the blokes running for the championship, have to not get into a fracas with him, as we work lap seven and are two laps from halfway in this event. 25 points for a win. Sofuoglu is trying to pass. This is amazing. The top ten are covered by less than two seconds.
Caricasulo is half a second ahead of Khairuddin. The tires are beginning to fall off. Federico Caricasulo is sticking to the top eight riders. He has come from Super Stock 600, which is not too different. So, he does not need to worry about not having traction control. Whereas, many of the other riders, such as Jules Cluzel, are getting used to no traction control on the motorcycle. Who will contend for the podium towards the end of this race? Alex Baldolini has one podium in SSP.
Anthony West, has now taken the race lead. He's done well, and has experience in 250cc and Moto2. The riders are trying to conserve tires and are running in the 1:34-1:35 lap time bracket. Alex Baldolini is giving Kenan Sofuoglu all he can handle, and more. Cluzel has come from eighth to the lead, who won here last year, after having two practice wrecks. They go uphill to Lukey Heights, and plummet back down the hill, into turn ten. We watch Sofuoglu and Jacobsen battle. These two finished 1-2 in the championship, last year. Cluzel and West have somewhat of a gap over Sofuoglu.
Oh no! Jules Cluzel, is off the road at the Southern Loop! With ten laps left, it's game over for Cluzel as he skids across the gravel, then, across the grass, and bonk!, into the tires! It's all gone pear shaped for Cluzel, and just as that happens, Sofuoglu mounts a challenge on West, and he makes the pass. ...And, folks, we have, another spill! Lorenzo Zanetti touches another bike, and... ker-rash! He's down, smoke pouring from the bike, as it skids on the pavement. Christian Gammarino, was also nearly caught in that melee.
Zanetti just tagged the rider in front of him out of the Honda hairpin. West passes Sofuoglu. Last year, the MV Agusta team of Cluzel and Zanetti, finished 1-2 in this race, and this year, those boys will be walking home, wondering what could have been. Anthony West still leads. You couldn't kill this bloke with a stick. Jules Cluzel has rejoined this race. But, again, for Zanetti, no mas. Sofuoglu leads West and Jacobsen, with Krummenacher and Baldolini completing the top five. Cluzel's slide off the road, was likely due to finding a false neutral in the gearbox, and being in the wrong gear at the wrong time.
Gino Rea is up to P6. In Zanetti's shunt, Christian Gamarino was also very close to hitting the pavement. Anthony West, is still trying to get by Sofuoglu, as we watch the magnificent seven. Sofuoglu takes a wide line into turn four. He is doing well, carrying his own lines into the corner. Jules Cluzel is running well, but he's not happy. Rain is coming, in sector one. The white flag is waving. That's the rain flag. We've gone past 2/3rds distance, (lap 12). If the race was stopped, it would be a result, and you'd go back in timing and scoring, to the last full lap completed.
Jacobsen is going for it and so is West. So is Krummenacher. But, Kenan Sofuoglu, is on a Sunday ride. He's going for it, and could win. The rain comes in from the Southern Ocean, and could stop this race. Alex Baldolini and Gino Rea, battle for position. Both of them are riding MV Agusta F3 675 motorcycles. The fairing of Anthony West's bike is coming loose. Rain is coming to sector two of the speedway. Anthony West passes P.J. Jacobsen for fifth. Kenan Sofuoglu's patience, might pay off.
Kenan Sofuoglu slid through Honda hairpin. Avoid the curbs and the white lines. No rain tires will be needed. The gap is closing to 8/10ths of a second, as Randy Krummenacher is gaining on Kenan Sofuoglu. Four laps left. Krummenacher is running in the 1:32 range for lap times. Federico Caricasulo is running very well. The 19-year-old Italian is pushing hard. Kyle Ryde has lost a few places. He's dropped from ninth to eighteenth. We work lap 16 of 18. P.J. Jacobsen runs wide. He's plummeted to seventh spot. Krummenacher wants to catch his team mate, for the win.
Caricasulo is pushing Anthony West. Gino Rea is fifth. Oh no! Kenan Sofuoglu has crashed! He's crashed with just three laps to go, from the lead! Randy Krummenacher takes the lead in his debut World Supersport race! Krummenacher, West, Caricasulo. Sofuoglu had the rear end of the motorcycle step around on him, and was pitched off, into the tire barrier. Two laps left now. Gino Rea runs wide and P.J. Jacobsen, can reel him in. Jacobsen can score lots of points. Can Jules Cluzel salvage points? The rain really starts to fall.
They might finish this race, even with the rain. War has broken out on the island in World Supersport! Final lap. Randy Krummenacher could win his first ever World Supersport race in his first try! Lots of lapped riders in the way, including the youngest ever World Supersport rider, 16-year-old Australian Lachlan Epis, who was mentioned earlier. Anthony West is now second. P.J. Jacobsen needs the spot, but Federico Caricasulo says, "no way, sunshine", and takes it back. Krummenacher is two corners away from his first win!
Victory in his first Supersport race, for Randy Kruimmenacher, with Caricasulo second, Anthony West third, Christian Gamarino fourth, and P.J. Jacobsen, fifth.
#21 Randy Krummenacher CHE. Kawasaki ZX-6R
Caricasulo is second, as mentioned. What a race! Congrats to Krummenacher. Nil points for Jules Cluzel. Anthony West and Randy Krummenacher know each other, from Moto2 competition. Wow! What a great race! Anthony West, wants a full-time ride. Lots of these blokes had good races today. We knew there would be drama. We thought, that Kenan Sofuoglu was not going to be affected. But, he crashed nonetheless. Lots of good riders finished in the top ten spots. What a race!
The next event for World Supersport, is with the World Superbike Championship, in Thailand, in eleven days time.
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