The 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship got underway at TT Circuit Assen this weekend with the Pirelli Dutch Round and Race 2 provided to be as unpredictable as ever as Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) became the first Brazilian rider to claim victory in WorldSSP300 in the Championship as he held off Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) with just 0.045s separating the podium trio.
THE FIGHT FOR VICTORY: 0.045s across the top three…
The race was as unpredictable as ever in WorldSSP300 as Maier held on to take victory through the final chicane, ahead of Vannucci in second place and Petr Svoboda (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) in third. The trio were separated by 0.045s across the line at the end of the 14-lap race with the three riders so close, they were making contact across the line as they battled it out for victory.
Maier’s victory means he becomes the fourth youngest winner in WorldSSP300 at 17 years, five months and 26 days old; behind only Unai Orradre, Manuel Gonzalez and Bahattin Sofuoglu. Brazil become the tenth country to win in WorldSSP00 and it is Maier’s second podium in the Championship. Vannucci’s second place gives him his fourth podium and Yamaha’s 70th in WorldSSP300, while Svoboda doubled up on podiums with Kawasaki’s 140th podium in WorldSSP300.
JUST MISSING OUT: in the top six and close to the rostrum
Fourth place went to Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) in the hard-fought 14-lap race at Assen as he finished ahead of German rider Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) in fifth place. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) took fifth place and all of the riders in the top six took turns to lead the race at some point, proving once again how competitive and unpredictable WorldSSP300 will be this season.
COMPLETING THE TOP TEN: a fierce fight for strong points
Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing), who crossed the line in third place in Race 1 but was demoted to fourth for a yellow flag infringement, was seventh in Race 2 as he looked to continue his strong start to the campaign while eighth place went to Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PI Performances). Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) battled his way up the order to take ninth place in the classification, ahead of Enzo Valentim (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) who rounded out the top ten.
IN THE POINTS: leaving the Netherlands with points in the bag
British rider Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project), who switched manufacturers from Yamaha to Kawasaki for 2023, was 11th ahead of Ruben Bijman (Arco Motor University Team) in 12th during his first weekend for his new team; he switched from Kawasaki to Yamaha for 2023. Julio Garcia (Team Flembbo-PI Performances), who impressed last year as a wildcard at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, was 13th ahead of compatriot Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) in 14th. The last point went to Yeray Saiz Marquez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) in 15th place and he also secured the fastest lap of the race.
Rookie Mattia Martella (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) was 16th and just missed out on points in Race 2, but he was able to finish ahead of Italian rider Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) in 17th. Kas Beekmans (Sublime Racing by MS Racing), who received a late call-up for the Dutch Round, was 18th ahead of Troy Alberto (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) in 19th and wildcard Thom Molenaar (Molenaar Racing Team) in 20th. The Dutch rider impressed in Superpole but was not able to convert that into his first points finish, but he did equal his best result in WorldSSP300 with 20th.
HOUSEKEEPING: to note from WorldSSP300 Race 2
Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) crashed out of the race on the opening lap of the race when fighting in the front group when he highsided on the exit of Turn 5 and putting him out of the race. Mexican rider Juan Pablo Uriostegui (Team#109 Kawasaki) was a retirement after he crashed at Turn 8 on Lap 4. Lap 11 proved to be a difficult one for MTM Kawasaki as both of their riders crashed out at different corners. 2020 Champion Jeffrey Buis crashed at Turn 11 before Loris Veneman went down at Turn 16; both riders retired from the race. Devis Bergamini (ProGP Racing) crashed out of the race at Turn 7 on Lap 13 and he retired from the race.
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Source: WorldSBK.com