It’s a three-way showdown for FIM Supersport 300 World Championship supremacy in 2024 as the final twist in the tale of the season comes from the iconic Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto. 32 points cover three riders in the standings and with the way the battle has been fought across 2024 thus far, you can expect an unpredictable last two races of the season. Let’s take a look at the title contender, how we got to this situation and what needs to happen for each to make their own bit of history.
WorldSSP300’s TITANIC TRIO: Mahendra vs Veneman vs Iglesias
Starting with the rider who has the weight of a nation on his shoulders, Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) has a 16-point lead going into the last round of his rookie season, with the Indonesian youngster aiming to be the first rider from his country with a World Championship. Despite only one win coming at Misano in Race 2, he’s had six other podiums and finished every race in the points. This remarkable consistency has lined him up as the favourite for this year’s crown but the rookie mistake that normally every rookie makes hasn’t happened; Jerez can’t be the host of the first one. To become Yamaha’s third Champion in the class and Indonesia’s first, it’s pretty straight forward. Don’t give up more than 15 points to Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) and more than 31 to Inigo Iglesias (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki). If Mahendra wins Race 1, then he’s Champion if neither are on the podium. To have a chance of wrapping it up, he must finish in the top six but then results depend on his rivals.
On to Loris Veneman and what a season he’s had; a stunning double win at Most and three other podiums have kept him contention but a costly crash at Magny-Cours has left him further away from the Championship than he’d have liked. In only his second season, he’s looking at a chance to take the title to the Netherlands once again and add another to the MTM Kawasaki tally. For that to happen, Veneman needs to be at his best. He can’t win it in Race 1 but a double like at Most would mean Mahendra would need at least one P2. To carry the hopes of the title into Race 2, 18-year-old Veneman can’t give up more than nine points to Aldi. Neither of them have raced at Jerez previously.
Then, there’s the case of Inigo Iglesias, who has had undoubted speed and pace, with three wins in 2024 – more than anyone else on the WorldSSP300 grid and just one less than 2023 Champion Jeffrey Buis’ tally. However, misfortune and irresponsible riding has cost the Basque rider this year, with that particular sanction costing him victory at Barcelona, Most and a podium challenge in Race 2 at Aragon. Then, there was his own error at Portimao, where he hit the back of Veneman on the last lap and crashed on the last lap before a mechanical issue struck him down in Race 2. Iglesias trails Mahendra by 32 and he’s only scored more than that amount in one round once in 2024 – 41 at Misano. To take the title race to Sunday, he’ll need to outscore Mahendra by seven points in Race 1. An ideal situation for Iglesias would be two wins; Mahendra would then need at least a top six in Race 2 whereas for Veneman, it depends on his own results. An outside chance? Definitely. He’s the only rider to have raced here in WorldSSP300 before, with two P2 finishes in 2021.
ENDING ON A HIGH: helping teammates if possible and taking a final victory
Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) took victory last time out and will aim to do it again; he’s won the last race of the season for the last two years. He can’t take the title but he can help teammate Loris Veneman. The Dutchman may also have an ally in fellow countryman Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM Paligo Racing) who is in P5 and with two wins to his name. Then, the first of the Yamahas in Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) but his presence is subject to a medical check. Julio Garcia (Kove Racing Team) and teammate Marc Garcia have been putting Kove on the rostrum multiple times each but are yet to give the Chinese manufacturer a first World Championship win; they’re tied on 107 points with two races to go. Pepe Osuna (DEZA-BOX 77 Racing Team) was on the rostrum at Aragon and heads to the teams home race full of confidence whilst Assen’s double winner Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) seeks a return to winning ways to end 2024 strongly. He’s just four points ahead of Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse), who will hope to help teammate Mahendra to a first world title if possible.
OTHER WINNERS AND PODIUM FINISHERS FROM 2024: don’t sleep on those chasing their own glory
Unai Calatayud (Arco Sash MotoR University Team) missed Sunday at Aragon but the Magny-Cours race winner aims to bounce back at Jerez, whereas Carter Thompson (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) once again replaces injured Petr Svoboda, who doesn’t return for the season finale. Other previous winners and podium finishers aiming to end 2024 on a high are Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia), who has had a wrotten season, Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PL Performances), Brazilian riders Gustavo Manso (Yamaha AD78 FIM LA by MS Racing), teammate Kevin Fontainha and Humberto Maier (MS Racing). Don’t discount Emiliano Ercolani (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team) as the reigning Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup Champion ends a rookie season in WorldSSP300.
HOUSEKEEPING: returnees, replacements and more
Back in the saddle after giving the team their first points of 2024 at Aragon, Sullivan Mounsey (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) fills in for injured Chris Clark, whilst Juan Risueno (Kawasaki GP Project) replaces Mattia Martella. Antonio Torres’ fine showing as a wildcard at Aragon earns him a ride in place of Bruno Ieraci at ProDina Kawasaki Racing) whilst 16-year-old Roberto Fernandez (Arco Sash Motor University Team) is back again after his Aragon debut. Gonzalo Sanchez (Arco Sash Motor University Team) wildcards, as does Tomas Alonso (Pons Motorsport Italika Racing). David Salvador (MS Racing) will need to complete a medical check before participating in the Prometeon Spanish Round.
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Source: WorldSBK.com