We are ready, for the FIM World Supersport season opener, on the seaside at Phillip Island. The sun is shining. Perfect weather. We are set to see the 600cc bikes, get their season underway. Before we get started (as always), lets have a look at our weather forecast. It's lovely at Phillip Island. Blue skies with no clouds, and abundant sunshine. 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit), air temperature. 32 degrees Celsius (89 degrees Fahrenheit), track temperature. We have an eastern wind. Tires will be a major deal in this event. A huge amount of news in WSSP. We are missing some riders from this race. Reigning FIM World Supersport champion, Kenan Sofuoglu, injured his thumb in training on a Super Moto motorcycle. So, he will not start this race, and his #1 Kawasaki ZX6R sits in the paddock area on display more than anything.
Sofuoglu will not be able to take part in round two in Thailand either. Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Team is currently looking for a fill-in rider for the multiple WSSP world champ while his thumb heals. We wish him the best. We are also without Japanese rider Hikari Okubo. Okubo crashed his #78 CIA Landlord Insurance Honda CBR600RR at turn 11 and hurt himself. He broke his left collarbone and will heal up in time for Thailand. P.J. Jacobsen of the United States, he has been in great form all weekend and is the pole man, for his new team. He now rides an MV Agusta F3 675, a factory bike for the MV Agusta Reparto Corse squad, bearing the #99. Some riders have had tire issues. So, this race for the 600cc bikes, in Supersport, has been shortened to 15 laps.
Jules Cluzel is second. He has a sign, that says "Get Well Soon Hikari San" for Hikari Okubo. What a big disappointment as Okubo would have started tenth. Federico Caricasulo starts third, and he is now riding for the official factory Yamaha World Supersport team, GRT Official WorldSSP Team, on a Yamaha YZF R6, with sponsorship from the Pata snack foods company. Caricasulo finished second here last year. Kyle Ryde starts fourth on his Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Kawasaki ZX6R. Kyle Ryde has a Get Well Soon Kenan sign, wishing Kenan Sofuoglu, his Puccetti Kawasaki team mate, well. Lucas Mahias rolls off fifth on bike #144. He is a team mate to Federico Caricasulo on another Pata Snacks factory Yamaha R6. He had a big wreck on Friday, and in that wreck, somehow, he lost the tip of one of his fingers.
Nonetheless, the Frenchman qualified fifth, in the middle of row two, for this race. He's a scrapper, like a dog who has a bone and won't let it go. Mahias has raced in many categories. He has Grand Prix motorcycle racing experience, and has also run World Endurance, World Supersport, World Superbike, and Superstock 1000. We saw him win in STK1000 last year. Alex Baldolini qualified sixth on the #25 Race Department ATK#25 MV Agusta F3 675. Baldolini was very consistent in 2016. Can he continue that this year? We'll see. Gino Rea is seventh, and he has switched to the Go Eleven Kawasaki team for 2017, on a Kawasaki ZX6R. Roberto Rolfo lines up next in eighth. He is on the #44 Team Factory Vamag bike, another MV Agusta.
Gino Rea and Robbie Rolfo has a contretemps on track, and unfortunately, this left Rolfo with a dislocated shoulder. He'll have to be careful in the race today. He did have his shoulder popped back into place and should be alright. Kyle Smith is riding injured as he starts ninth on his #111 Gemar Balloons - Team Lorini Honda CBR600RR. Rounding out the top ten on the grid, is Luke Stapleford. The Brit is back with the #81 squad, the Profile Racing Triumph Daytona 675. He is one of two Triumph's on the grid this year. Eleventh is Michael Canducci. The Italian is on a third Puccetti Racing Kawasaki ZX6R, teamed with Kenan Sofuoglu and Kyle Ryde.
We have five minutes officially, until World Supersport racing gets underway. Anthony West will be another rider to look out for in this race. "Westy" as he's known, starts 21st in this race. He is a wildcard on the #13 West Racing Yamaha YZF R6. Zulfahmi Khairuddin is another name to watch out for in 12th spot. He had a wreck in the morning warmup. He'll make up ground, and is riding the #63 Orelac Racing Verdnatura Kawasaki ZX6R. Khairuddin won his home race in Malaysia last year. His team mate, Spaniard Nacho Calero, starts behind Khairuddin in 13th. In 14th, we have Sheridan Morais. The South African, who competed last year in MotoAmerica, is on a Kallio Racing Yamaha YZF R6, #32.
His team mate at Kallio Racing Yamaha, is Finn Niki Tuuli. Kallio Racing is still using the 2016 Yamaha R6 and won't use the new version until we begin racing in Europe. Caricasulo, Cluzel, and Jacobsen on the front row. P.J. Jacobsen has the ball in his court with his rival, Kenan Sofuoglu, on the sidelines. Three Australians occupy the seventh row. Aiden Wagner, Lachlan Epis, and Anthony West, are those riders. We have 23 bikes in the field, and making his debut in WSSP, caboose on the grid, is Davide Pizzoli of Italy, on a sister Race Department ATK#25 MV Agusta to Alex Baldolini.
We were to have 24 bikes and riders. But, Aussie wildcard Matt Edwards was hurt in a crash, and will not start his #22 Euro Twins Brisbane Triumph Daytona 675. Edwards is Australian, but was born in Britain. It's a shame he will not be able to start this race. As the final warmup lap begins, drama for Michael Canducci. His bike has been taken off the grid, and it could be game over for the Italian before the race even begins. Check that. He will start, but either from the back of the grid, or from the pit lane. Everyone will use the same rear tire, but the front tires are different. Caricasulo and Cluzel are on the SC2 medium, and P.J. Jacobsen is using the SC1, the softer compound Pirelli front tire.
Track temperature has climbed to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), and this could play into how the tires behave. This is going to be a storming race. Part of what makes Phillip Island so special is as you dive into turn one, it looks like you are headed straight for the ocean. When they call this track Phillip Island, the Aussies are not kidding. It is, on an island. 23 bikes on the grid, ready for a start. Get set, for a wild World Supersport season opener, here at Phillip Island! Red lights, on. Red lights, out! We're away, for the start of WSSP 2017! Jules Cluzel has launched into the lead going for turn one.
P.J. Jacobsen is second and Kyle Ryde is moving up as we round Doohan corner for the first time. Alex Baldolini wants to make a move on P.J. Jacobsen. Lucas Mahias had a wheelie off the line, but is third. Sheridan Morais also has a great start. Michael Canducci had to start in the lane and now he's having to play catch up with the competition. Kyle Ryde has managed to get in front of Jules Cluzel. Kyle Smith moves from ninth to fifth, as they work their way through MG corner. Smith is scrapping with Federico Caricasulo of Italy. Baldolini dives into the lead and Lucas Mahias is now third. Lachlan Epis and Anthony West are 12th and 13th, giving the home crowd something to cheer about. P.J. Jacobsen is falling down the order on the MV Agusta, and it also looks like game over, for Michael Canducci.
Canducci is in the lane, but we have to find out more about Jacobsen's issues. Baldolini and Cluzel are breaking away from the rest of the pack. Jacobsen has crashed his MV Agusta and rejoined, but is now down the order. Oh no! Our leader, Alex Baldolini, has also wrecked! Ugh! Not a good start to 2017 for MV Agusta! Jules Cluzel is your new leader. Three abreast into Doohan corner! Gently, boys. Caricasulo sets fastest lap at 1:34.882. Both of the new Yamaha YZF R6's are running in the top five at the moment as well. Gino Rea has also crashed, as Lucas Mahias jumps into the lead. Kyle Smith passes Federico Caricasulo, and, more crashes, as Swiss rider Robin Mulhauser has fallen out of the race aboard the #70 CIA Landlord Insurance Honda CBR600RR.
We have a red flag on the speedway as there is debris in Siberia corner. We will have to restart this race and P.J. Jacobsen will be able to come back. Jacobsen's bike does not look too heavily damaged. Kyle Ryde is having a strong race thus far. Baldolini had the front end wash away causing his crash. Baldolini will restart the race too. In testing, some large geese flew onto the track during testing for WSBK, WSSP, and MotoGP as well. Geese don't fear motorcycles. Mulhauser had a big wreck at Siberia. Now, this corner, was so named, by the late, great motorcycle champion, Barry Sheene, because it's very cold at that section of the race track with the breeze blowing off the ocean.
Robin Mulhauser joins World Supersport as a rookie, coming across from Moto2. P.J. Jacobsen had mechanical issues with the bike, and not a wreck. Michael Canducci is having his bike worked on. Too bad for Gino Rea, falling out of this race. Rea will not be able to restart this race. Game over for Gino Rea. The marshals are putting speedy dry down on the track to soak up some oil or coolant or something. Robin Mulhauser had a tankslapper down there. This race will be reduced to 2/3rds distance, and be a ten lap dash for cash. It'll be a winner winner chicken dinner kind of deal. P.J. Jacobsen has said used tires work better on his MV Agusta.
P.J. Jacobsen has surely gotten a "get out of jail free card" here. The marshals are finishing their track cleanup. Good to see a variety of motorcycles and that the hobby of motorcycling is alive and well Down Under. The bikes fire up again and we're ready to restart this race. Robin Mulhauser and Gino Rea, are out. Aiden Wagner hopes to take advantage of an open grid spot on the second Gemar Balloons - Team Lorini bike. The MV Agusta bikes are running well, and want to avoid any mechanical troubles. Christian Gamarino won't return to this race either. P.J. Jacobsen had an electrical issue with his bike, but it is fixed now.
This is only his third career pole, after a disappointing 2016 with no wins and only four podiums. The bikes reform on the grid, for a restart. Let's try this again, chaps. Restart at Phillip Island. Red lights, on. Red lights, out! We're back underway on the island! Cluzel has a huge wheelie and the Yamaha's are pushing for the front. Cluzel leads over Caricasulo, and Jacobsen. Lucas Mahias now slides past Jacobsen into third. Could Lucas Mahias be on the podium? Kyle Ryde is clinging to the top ten at the moment. Whoa! A big slide for P.J. Jacobsen! Thankfully he didn't lose the motorcycle there!
Jacobsen drops to seventh behind Kyle Smith. Ryde also passes Baldolini. Here are our points scoring riders as we sprint to the finish.
1. Federico Caricasulo
2. Jules Cluzel
3. Lucas Mahias
4. Kyle Ryde
5. Kyle Smith
6. P.J. Jacobsen
7. Alex Baldolini
8. Niki Tuuli
9. Roberto Rolfo
10. Anthony West
11. Luke Stapleford
12. Sheridan Morais
13. Zulfahmi Khairuddin
14. Nacho Calero
15. Michael Canducci
Mahias is trying to pass Caricasulo. It's a battle of the Yamaha factory team mates. Cluzel leads. He can defend the lead spot. Baldolini passes Ryde. They come through to the Hayshed, picking their lines through the fast, flowing corners, on these 600cc bikes. Caricasulo tries making a move into MG but decides discretion is the better part of valor. Niki Tuuli is now seventh. He has the older Yamaha R6. The 2016 bike. Baldolini resets fastest lap at 1:34.413, as Mahias goes around the outside of his team mate, Federico Caricasulo. Kyle Smith crashes at turn ten but might get back into the action.
Anthony West and Robbie Rolfo are coming to the front. Disaster for P.J. Jacobsen and MV Agusta as he's run off the road! Game over for Jacobsen as far as a win here at Phillip Island. Robbie Rolfo is sixth and resets fastest race lap at 1:34.379. Alex Baldolini and Federico Caricasulo are scrapping into Stoner corner. Caricasulo moves back into third. Baldolini is second. Jacobsen may have missed a shift and ran wide into the corner. Rolfo passes Niki Tuuli and moves up to fifth. Robbie Rolfo has been racing motorcycles at the top level for over 20 years. He knows what's up here. Davide Pizzoli has crashed out of the race. Game over for #7.
Caricasulo slides the Yamaha, and saves it! Baldolini wants his first WSSP win. Cluzel has won before but didn't in 2016. He wants a victory. Five laps down. Five laps left. Halfway. P.J. Jacobsen is back on track, and back into the points, setting a new fastest lap at 1:34.221. Caricasulo as we watch in replay almost ditched the motorcycle. One elbow and one knee down, to save the darn thing. Baldolini is shadowing Cluzel who has led the whole way. Will Cluzel be able to defend for four more laps. Baldolini has had one podium, and that was at Misano, five years ago, in 2012. Cluzel slipstreams Baldolini down the straight and gets the advantage in doing so, keeping the lead.
Lachlan Epis is up to 12th place right now. He is in the points, and will pick them up in his home race. He is an Aussie. Fellow Aussie Anthony West is eight. "Westy" always goes well at Phillip Island, and on a 600cc bike. Robbie Rolfo and Federico Caricasulo are chasing Lucas Mahias, as with three laps to go, it is crunch time. Cluzel runs wide, and Jacobsen lowers fastest lap to 1:33.782. Jacobsen moves ahead of Nacho Calero. Jules Cluzel, meanwhile, has lost the lead and has dropped like a stone all the way to fifth spot. Cluzel has to recover. Can he do it? Rolfo and Ryde are the two who will push for a podium.
Cluzel has a moment down through Lukey Heights. MV Agusta vs. Yamaha, is the battle at the front. Robbie Rolfo wants to go inside Lucas Mahias. Caricasulo now leads, as Alex Baldolini drops to third. Mahias goes inside Baldolini. GRT ran MV Agusta's last year, with Gino Rea. But the switch to Yamaha seems to be paying off, with the new YZF R6. Anthony West in fifth is not racing full-time in WSSP. But, he still wants a podium place. Rolfo moves to second through MG corner. Yamaha is still 1-2. We are on the last lap. This is for the money. Take it to the house. Three wide for the lead! We've got at least six riders who could win this thing. Don't count your chickens until they hatch.
Robbie Rolfo leads through the sweeping Stoner corner. Caricasulo moves past Baldolini, forcing him to sit up. Robbie Rolfo's dislocated shoulder he suffered in testing, hasn't bugged him at all. He leads at Phillip Island. Can he win it? The last plunge into MG corner. Oh my! Jules Cluzel and Federico Caricasulo have crashed into each other with Cluzel flying in the air! Disaster for Jules Cluzel who was hoping for a win today! Alex Baldolini may have been caught in that accident, too. Two riders go for the win. It's Rolfo vs. Mahias. Rolfo and Mahias wheel to wheel at the line! Who takes it? It's a photo finish! Who will be the winner when the marshals find out the pictures and what they say?
Cluzel is hurt. Let's hope he'll be OK. Either way, with who wins, they will get their first wins. Mahias looks like he's won it. But, nothing has been confirmed yet. Niki Tuuli gets a fifth place finish. P.J. Jacobsen finishes sixth. Robbie Rolfo made his debut in 250cc Grand Prix racing in 1996 and has raced everything including 250cc, MotoGP, World Superbike... you name it. Here's the photo finish. Who wins it? Rolfo had to run off the road after the finish line. The finish is under review. How will this play out? We wait. To be racing as close as they did, you need huge respect. The red mist comes down with the visor sometimes. Robbie Rolfo wins it!
World Supersport Race: #44 Roberto Rolfo ITA. MV Agusta F3 675
Next up for World Supersport is the race in Buriram, Thailand in ten days time.
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