The FIM Supersport 300 World Championship returned for a thrilling Race 2 at the Autodrom Most, which resulted in a dramatic final lap. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki)  has completed the double at the Czech Round, securing his third win after a drag race to decide the win on the final lap.

It was a race full of drama with Veneman securing victory, repeating his success from Saturday. The Dutchman secured Kawasaki’s 62^nd win after winning ahead of Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki), as the #58 was demoted one position for irresponsible riding on the main straight on the final lap. The Spaniard still claimed his ninth podium as he finished in front of Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse), who was behind in third, after a magnificent ride where the #57 charged from the back of the field after pre-race issues.

DRAMA FROM THE START: Gennai leads

There was drama before the start of Race 2 for Mahendra, who was forced to start from the back of the grid after a tyre pressure infringement. Once the lights went out it was a fantastic launch from Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki), allowing the Italian to take the lead ahead of Iglesias on the opening lap. The fastest lap and the lead would change hands multiple times in the opening stages.

Mahendra soon entered the top five positions, carving through the WorldSSP300 field after starting at the back of the field. Iglesias was forced to drop one position for overtaking under yellow flags as Jeffery Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing), Carter Thompson (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki), Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) and Gennai were all involved in a crash at Turn 1 with four laps to go.

PHOTO FINISH: Veneman takes glory

Race 2 would go down to the final lap with a two-way duel for victory between Iglesias and Veneman, who was aiming to do the double. The lead changed hands on the final lap with Iglesias leading in the final sector. It was a tense drag race to the line with the #7 taking victory by 0.009s after Iglesias crossed the line in P1 but was later demoted one position for irresponsible riding.

TOP 10: Ieraci misses out on a podium

Missing out on a podium finish at Most was Bruno Ieraci (Team ProDina Kawasaki), finishing just 0.038s behind Mahendra. Meanwhile, David Salvador (MS Racing) rounded out the top five in a career-best finishing, beating Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) to the flag. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) took sixth, finishing ahead of Julio Garcia (KOVE Racing Team), who took P7 and finished as the top KOVE rider. Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) took eighth as Pepe Osuna (DEZA-BOX 77 Racing Team) claimed ninth position after a brilliant ride. The #77 was ahead of Elia Bartolini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team), who rounded out the top 10.

FINAL POINTS: Di Sora takes P15

Ruben Bijman (Team Flembbo-PL Performances) was 11^th ahead of Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team in 12^th at the end of Race 2. Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team’s Emiliano Ercolani took 13^th position as Humberto Maier (MS Racing) and Samuel Di Sora (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team) took the final point-scoring positions. There was a handful of other dramas throughout Race 2 including Yamaha AD78 FIM LA by MS Racing’s Gustavo Manso and Kevin Fontainha crashing at Turn 20.

The top six from WorldSSP300 Race 2, full results here:

1. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki)

2. Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) +0.009s

3. Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse) +2.479s

4. Bruno Ieraci (Team ProDina Kawasaki) +2.517s

5. David Salvador (MS Racing) +2.533s

6. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) +2.555s

Fastest Lap: David Salvador, Yamaha – 1’45.922s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) will take no further part in the Czech Round after being declared unfit following his Tissot Superpole Race crash in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The #14 had a massive moment under braking into the Turn 1-2 chicane and was flung from his bike, before ending up in the gravel trap. He was taken to the medical centre following the crash and was diagnosed with a non-displaced left collarbone fracture and therefore will miss this afternoon’s Race 2.

The Brit’s first visit to the Autodrom Most had proved difficult so far, with Lowes taking 12^th in Saturday’s Tissot Superpole session and finishing in the same position in Race 1. In Sunday’s Warm Up session, he was 16^th – directly ahead of twin brother Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) – before looking to make gains in Sunday’s two races, but he won’t take part in Race 2.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was back on track at the Czech Round for a dramatic Superpole Race, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), securing a legendary 50^th victory in WorldSBK and his 11^th with BMW which allowed the German factory to take the lead of the manufacturers’ Championship. Behind the #54 at the line was Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who took second place at the line after late drama with his teammate on the final lap of the race. The final spot on the podium then went the way of Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who took his 41^st podium – equalling Neil Hodgson.

ACTION BEGINS: Toprak loses the lead early

In a repeat to Race 1, Razgatlioglu claimed the holeshot and stormed to Turn 1 ahead of Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Bulega and Alvaro Bautista, who had a phenomenal launch. However, Bulega soon attacked the #54, demoting Razgatlioglu to second for the first time this weekend. Bautista soon followed Bulega through, dropping the Turkish rider to third, before Razgatlioglu would respond at Turn 1 on Lap 2, taking second before stealing P1 later in the lap. Bautista pushed hard throughout, making a small mistake which briefly dropped him towards Alex Lowes in fourth.

Further back, Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) would make moves through the field, eventually battling for the final point-scoring position with Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). In the closing stages, nobody could match Razgatlioglu, who took victory by a comfortable margin as the battle for second was decided on the final lap. Bulega went through the gravel at Turn 1, staying on his machine as Bautista ran wide and crashed – promoting Alex Lowes to third.

POINTS: Rea ahead of van der Mark

Fourth place was taken by Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), who secured a good start for Race 2 after the Italian finished ahead of Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who rounded out the top five. The #87 had a strong Superpole Race, beating Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), finishing less than a second behind in sixth. The #55 finished ahead of compatriot Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven), who was unable to repeat his success from Race 1, finishing in seventh. Rea took eighth in the results after van der Mark was demoted one position to ninth for overtaking under yellow flags at Turn 1.

MISSING OUT: Rinaldi 10^th

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) missed out on a spot inside the top nine, finishing 10^th at the line. However, it was an early end to the race for Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW), who had a crash at Turn 1. Meanwhile, Bautista would enter the pitlane on the final lap after his crash on the final and was not classified in the results.

The top nine from the Superpole Race, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.812s

3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 4.251s

4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +6.534s

5. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +6.673s

6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +7.510s

7. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +7.556s

8. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +9.885s

9. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +10.044s

Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW – 1’31.180s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Following the huge stories of Saturday, the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s final day of action in the Czech Republic got underway with Warm Up. 10 minutes to get into the groove ahead of the the final race day and with bright sunshine beating down, more drama is expected throughout the course of the day at the Autodrom Most. In control after the session concluded, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) remained in the lead as he aims to top every session of the weekend.

Razgatlioglu had a couple of moments during the ten minutes of track action but escaped any major dramas; he led the way and was one of the first riders to take the chequered flag, whilst Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took P2 and hopes he can return to the podium. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was inside the top three ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW).

Seemingly finding a good step on Sunday morning was Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) who clinched sixth, demoting Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) with his final flying lap, leaving the reigning double World Champion in P7. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) completed the top ten. It was a brighter morning for Honda with Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and teammate Xavi Vierge in 12th and 14th respectively, although Kawasaki struggled with Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) the best in 15th, teammate Alex Lowes only managing 17th.

Top six after Warm Up, full results here:

1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’31.205
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.133s
3. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.211s
4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.373s
5. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +0.520s
6. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.553s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The FIM Supersport World Championship was back on track for Race 1 on Saturday, in what was a stunning ride from Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team), storming to victory. The Spaniard took his fifth consecutive victory of 2024 after crossing the line 3.758s ahead of the field.

Huertas charged to victory at the Czech Round, adding to Ducati’s success in WorldSSP after crossing the line ahead of Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) in second – finishing as the top Yamaha. The Frenchman had a great end to Saturday, after a duel with Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing), who claimed his seventh podium of the season.

EARLY DRAMA: Huertas leads a dramatic start

There was drama before the start with Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) crashing on the sighting lap, leaving the #9 with work in Race 1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) secured the holeshot on the run to Turn 1, running wide on the entry with Huertas on his tail. On Lap 2, Manzi would enter the lead for the first time, launching an attack on the entry to Turn 1. It would be an early end to the race for Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) crashing at Turn 21 with 17 laps remaining.

Meanwhile, at the front, it was Huertas who entered first in a thrilling battle for victory and the podium. It did not take the #99 long to begin to stretch a lead, extending his gap to over two seconds with less than 10 laps remaining. However, the battle for the podium was not over with Montella leading Manzi and Debise for second position.

LAST CHANCE: Manzi vs Debise on the final lap

While Huertas led it was a duel for the podium position with Manzi entering second on the entry to Turn 1. It was three wide briefly as Debise responded, entering second and clinching P2 at the line with Manzi forced to settle for third as a mere 0.134s separated the pair.

BEST OF THE REST: Montella fourth

Unable to claim a podium was Montella, finishing fourth at the line ahead of Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing), who rounded out the top five. The #64 crossed the line in front of Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha), with the #94 fending off MV Agusta Reparto Corse’s Marcel Schrotter for sixth. The German missed on P6 by 0.043s at the line but would finish ahead of PTR Triumph’s Tom Booth-Amos in eighth. Meanwhile, Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) was demoted one position to ninth after exceeding track limits on the final lap. Further back, Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) would take the final spot inside the top 10 after starting P15 on the grid.

TOP 15: Baldassarri takes the final point

Outside of the top 10, Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) took 11^th ahead of D34G Racing WorldSSP Team’s Oli Bayliss in 12^th. Ondrej Vostatek (PTR Triumph) was 13^th at the line, finishing ahead of WRP Racing’s Steven Odendaal and Lorenzo Baldassarri (WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph), who took the final points on Saturday.

However, not every rider would complete the opening lap with Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team’s Niccolo Antonelli, Piotr Biesiekirski, Marcel Brenner (VIAMO Racing by MTM) and Anupab Sarmoon (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team) crashing at Turn 1. There would later be an incident at Turn 20 involving Simone Corsi (Renzi Corse) and Tom Edwards (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team), which brought an early end to their day.

The top six from WorldSSP Race 1, full results here:

1. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)

2. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +3.758s

3. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +3.892s

4. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +4.726s

5. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +16.411s

6. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +19.043s

Fastest lap: Stefano Manzi, Yamaha – 1’34.834s (New race lap record)

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM SUPERBIKE World Championship returned for further drama at the Autodrom Most, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) storming to victory as he continues to add his name to the history books. The #54 would convert pole position into his 10^th victory of the season with BMW.

PERFECTION: No mistakes from Toprak

Razgatlioglu continued his domination at the Czech Round, finishing first in every session so far and winning Race 1 by an unbelievable 5.740s ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team). The Italian took P2 at the line to claim a heroic podium after a tough start to 2024. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) rounded out the podium after he put the #9 under pressure on the final lap.

RACE START: The battle for the podium begins

Once the lights went out it was a perfect launch from Razgatlioglu, who led the field as 23 riders roared down to Turn 1. Further back, it was a phenomenal opening lap for Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), charging to fifth after losing his left winglet. The #1 would enter a great battle in the opening stages with Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) soon overtaking Bautista. Meanwhile, it was a tough start for Jonathan Rea, with the six-time Champion unable to enter point-scoring positions in the opening laps with work to do.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) would soon enter the podium positions, before Petrucci responded, entering third and then second. The #11 began to lose some momentum, dropping back to fourth as Gardner and Bautista began to close in. Alex Lowes would also begin to close the gap to Bulega before the #22 lost the front and crashed out on the exit of Turn 2. Meanwhile, Razgatlioglu continued to lead, setting the fastest lap in the process.

PETRUCCI VS IANNONE: Last lap pressure

It was a tense final lap battle, as Razgatlioglu maintained his lead, leaving the battle for the final spot on the podium undecided. After defending the entire lap, it was Petrucci, who claimed second after defending from the #29. Just 0.141s separated Petrucci and Iannone at the line, in a tense finale to Race 1.

COMEBACK: Bautista charges from P10 to P5

Taking fourth position after narrowly missing out on a podium was Bautista, who battled from 10^th on the grid after receiving a three-place grid penalty in Superpole. The Spaniard finished ahead of Gardner, who took the final spot inside the all-important top five positions. The Australian was the top Yamaha in Race 1, crossing the line to finish in front of Bulega in sixth position. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was seventh ahead of Bonovo Action BMW’s Garrett Gerloff in P8. Meanwhile, the final spots inside the top ten went the way of Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Rea, after a strong end to his race.

POINTS: Rinaldi misses out on top 10

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) was less than two seconds adrift from Rea, finishing 11^th place, ahead of ELF Marc VDS Racing Team’s Sam Lowes in 12^th. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) took 13^th, with the final points going the way of Team HRC’s Xavi Vierge and Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW). Further back, Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) would have an early end to Race 1, retiring to the pitlane.

The top six from WorldSBK Race 1, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)

2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +5.740s

3. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +5.881s

4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +9.217s

5. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +11.622s

6. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +13.841s

Fastest Lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW – 1’31.540s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The Autodrom Most was the scene of Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) making an emotional return to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship rostrum after he finished second in Race 1 after a fierce fight with compatriot Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven). The two Italians were separated by just a tenth across the line of the 22-lap Race 1 for the Czech Round, with ‘Petrux’ holding on to P2.

It was the first time Petrucci stepped on the podium since the season-opening Australian Round, but it was also his first visit to the top three in a race since his comeback from severe injuries he suffered in a motocross accident in April. He returned to action at Misano and secured three top-ten finishes, including a heroic P6 in Sunday’s Race 2, before repeating a best of P6 at Donington. Having shown good pace on Friday, the #9 claimed sixth in Saturday’s Tissot Superpole session before climbing up the field to secure a podium place.

Discussing his return to the rostrum, Petrucci said: “It’s incredible. After my accident, the last thing I remember, I thought, ‘this time, I’m going to die’. I simply closed my eyes and woke up a few minutes later. A few days later, the doctor didn’t know if I was able to go racing again. After one week, I was feeling better. I went back home and started to think that I was doing well, so I’ll jump on the bike as soon as I can. Misano was a nightmare because I was riding with one arm. I still have no strength, but it’s not even three months since I crashed. It’s something unbelievable.”

Petrucci started the race from sixth but immediately gained two places to run in fourth at the end of the opening lap. He ran there for the first eight laps before passing Iannone for third on Lap 9 and then moving into second when he got ahead of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) a lap later. He tried to pull out a gap over the two Italians behind him, but Iannone was able to go with his compatriot. Despite ‘The Maniac’ keeping the pressure on, he wasn’t able to get close enough to make a move and Petrucci held on for his fifth WorldSBK podium and second of the year.

Talking about the race and the fights he had on track, Petrucci said: “I was a little bit worried this morning because I wanted to start in the first row, but in the end, I was riding alone, and I did a good lap time with some mistakes. I said the second row was okay. In the first part of the race, I was in the tow of Nicolo and Andrea. Nicolo started to lose some confidence, so I thought it was a good time to go. I passed Andrea and Nicolo and decided it was time to push. I was quite surprised on the first lap because I saw 0.5 and it was easier than I thought! A few laps later, Andrea started to gain ground on me and then he was able to pass me. I thought it was Bulega and when I saw Andrea, I said, ‘No’. I know him very well and at the end of the race, he’s always difficult to manage. I pushed 100% until the end. I’m still riding with one arm. I’m really struggling on the bike. One of my best races in WorldSBK!”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a fantastic Saturday at the Autodrom Most in the 16^th race of the season for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The #54 admitted that he is just focused on lap times at the moment after finishing the second day of action on top – adding to his dominant win tally.

The 2021 WorldSBK Champion began the day in style, topping FP3 by almost eight-tenths of a second. Entering Superpole with added confidence, Razgatlioglu was unstoppable, placing his BMW on pole position for Race 1 – setting a magnificent 1’30.064.

After starting from pole position, the Turkish star took the holeshot on the run down to Turn 1, comfortable extending a lead early on before storming to claim his 10^th victory with BMW – his eighth win in a row. The gap to the field behind was 5.740s to Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in second and Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) in third.

Discussing a fantastic Race 1, Razgatlioglu said: “I’m happy because I was very strong. Maybe not like Donington. I was a little bit closer to the other riders, but I had a very good race pace. In the last four or five laps, I just closed the gas, especially in the left corners. I remember last year when I crashed at Turn 2. We won by six seconds. This is good. We have two more races tomorrow and now I’m focused on this.”

Razgatlioglu was consistently lapping within the low 1’32 bracket in Race 1, setting the fastest lap in the process. The key to his race was consistently after he was the quickest rider in the first half of the lap, setting the fastest times of anyone in Sectors 1 and 2.

After victory in Race 1, it adds an extra 25 points to Razgatlioglu’s tally – extending his Championship lead to an impressive 56 points. However, on Sunday, “El Turco” will have the opportunity to win a further two races and bag 50 points, starting with the Superpole Race at 11:00 and Race 2 at 14:00 Local Time (UTC+2).

After spending the day focused on what he had to do, the #54 confirms that all attention now turns to Sunday: “For me, it’s easy, because I’m just focused on my job. I ride the bike, making no mistakes, I’m just focused on lap times. It looks like it’s under control but sometimes not everything goes well. In this race, I felt good and I was just riding. In the last laps, I closed the gas. It looks like everything is under control. Tomorrow, in the Superpole Race, I’ll need to push more because there won’t be any tyre problems in 10 laps.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) admitted that it was a tough start to this weekend at the Czech Round, and he had to work hard with his team to battle back in Superpole and Race 1. The Italian finished Saturday on the podium, finishing third position after a great battle with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) at the end of Race 1.

After finishing FP1 in 15^th, Iannone would make a step to finish FP2 at the end of Friday, finishing in 10^th position –0.907s adrift from Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) at the top of the timesheets. Then on Saturday, the #29’s results would improve, entering the top three, ending FP3 in second position. This added to the Italian’s momentum ahead of Superpole, where the Italian would also finish in second – earning a spot on the front row.

In Race 1, Iannone would have a great launch off the line, maintaining second position in the opening stages before beginning an intense battle with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Petrucci. The Italian briefly dropped to P4 before regaining third position – finishing on the podium. It was a breathtaking finish with just 0.141s separating Petrucci and Iannone at the line.

Discussing the story of his weekend so far, Iannone said: “I’m really happy about today because we recovered a lot from yesterday. After FP1, we were 14^th or 15^th in the classification, so the work we did as a team was unbelievable. I think we have a good chance. It was a really difficult race because the temperature was high but, in any case, I never gave up, I did my best and tomorrow we will try a little bit more.”

Iannone spent the majority of Race 1 lapping inside the 1’32 bracket while battling with Petrucci and Bulega. The #29’s best lap came on Lap 4, setting a strong 1’32.194 in an attempt to match Razgatlioglu in the lead.

Crossing the line in third, it was Iannone’s third podium in WorldSBK and his first since the Pirelli Catalunya Round in March. Adding to his success on Saturday, it was also the Italian’s first time racing at the technical and tricky Autodrom Most. The podium also comes at an important stage of the season, with Iannone yet to announce his plans for the 2025 season.

On Saturday, Iannone added that the team made a step forward with his bike setup: “We changed the setup a little bit but not completely different. We tried to do a little bit and made a little step forward. It’s not always easy to improve the bike. It’s my first year, my first time here, so I’m happy after four years, of watching on TV. The atmosphere in the team is magic. We’ll try to improve and I also hope Ducati recovers the gap and fights for victory.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Race 1 for the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship delivered everything you could ask for at the Czech Round, with a stunning battle for victory which was decided on the final lap. Taking the glory on Saturday was polesitter Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) after a brilliant move saw the Dutchman claim his second victory in the class.

The WorldSSP300 grid put on a fantastic display, sending the crowd surrounding the Autodrom Most to their feet after Veneman took victory by a mere 0.075s. The #7 won from Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team), who claimed second and his 15^th podium after a fantastic ride. Meanwhile, the final spot on the podium went the way of Carter Thompson (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) on his WorldSSP300 debut.

LIGHTS OUT: Veneman vs Iglesias

There was drama before the start with Jeffery Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing) entering the pitlane, with his team working frantically to fix an issue. Once the lights went out it was a phenomenal start from Veneman, who led the field through Turn 1, with Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) charging behind. The lead would change multiple times in the opening laps with Thompson also hitting the front briefly.

Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) soon took P1, before the #91 was forced to retire with nine laps remaining due to a technical issue. It was then a six-rider group at the front, with the lead changing every lap and tension building around the circuit. Veneman soon began to fight back as all attention soon turned to the final lap of the race.

LAST LAP: Veneman storms to glory

The polesitter’s lead did not last long with Iglesias stealing the lead on the entry to Turn 1, aiming to add to his win tally in 2024. Veneman soon responded, putting together the perfect final sector, jumping from third to first with a brave overtake.

DAMAGE LIMITATION: Mahendra inside top 10

Missing out on a podium in Race 1 was Mirko Gennai, who was 0.064s behind and completed a great day for the MTM Kawasaki squad. The #26 was ahead of Iglesias, who rounded out the top five positions after a small mistake on the last lap. Oliver Svendsen (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing) took sixth, finishing ahead of Pepe Osuna (DEZA-BOX 77 Racing Team). Eighth place went the way of Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse), who carved through the field after he had to complete a double Long Lap due to an incident in Warm Up. The #57 was ahead of MS Racing’s Humberto Maier and David Salvador, who rounded out the top 10.

NO POINTS: Buis outside the top 15

Bruno Ieraci (Team ProDina Kawasaki) was 11^th ahead of compatriot Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) in Race 1. Gaggi was promoted to 12^th after Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) was demoted one position for exceeding track limits on the final lap. Meanwhile, the final point-scoring positions went the way of Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team’s Emiliano Ercolani and Kevin Fontainha (Yamaha AD78 FIM LA by MS Racing). However, further back Buis would finish down in 21^st after the #1 lost time in pitlane and had to take a Long Lap due to an incident in Superpole.

The top six from WorldSSP300 Race 1, full results here:

1. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki)

2. Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) +0.075s

3. Carter Thompson (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) +0.150s

4. Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) +0.214s

5. Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) +0.398s

6. Oliver Svendsen (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) +0.477s

Fastest lap: Carter Thompson (Kawasaki) – 1’45.666s – new lap record

Make sure you tune in for Race 2 on Sunday at 12:45 Local Time (UTC+2), using the WorldSBK VideoPass, now with 30% off!

Source: WorldSBK.com