The second half of the 2024 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship season has erupted into life and after a change at the healm last time out, the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is set to bring another twist in the WorldSSP300 tale of 2024. With just 11 points covering the top three in the Championship and new contenders emerging at Portimao, could one of the most unpredictable circuits now welcome more surprises like years gone by, or will there be a crucial break up in the World Supersport 300 hegemony.
WorldSSP300’S TITANIC TRIO: Veneman takes over from Iglesias and Mahendra, 11 points cover 3
Stealing the show at Most with a double and now, stealing the Championship lead, Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) rolls into France and Magny-Cours with momentum. The 17-year-old’s shown phenomenal consistency in the last four races and that, along with bad luck for previous Championship leader Inigo Iglesias (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) has seen the pendulum swing. Magny-Cours brought Veneman’s first rostrum last year and he’ll be hoping to extend his run of form, whilst after a double DNF at Portimao, Iglesias needs a return to the fore to halt his main quarry’s spur in recent races. He’s strong at Magny-Cours and with double top ten finishes in the last two seasons, expect him be in the podium fight again. Ten points split the two, whilst Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) is one further back. He’s never been to Magny-Cours but he’d never been to Most before winning there last year…
IN CONTENTION, BECOMING CONTENDERS? New names enter wide-open title race
There aren’t many guarantees in WorldSSP300 but Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) winning at Portimao appears to be one of them; of his six career wins, five have occurred in the Algarve and last time out was no different as he doubled up to win his first races with Kawasaki. Now, he’s a solid fourth place in the Championship and with his feeling aboard the Kawasaki seemingly strong, he’ll be fast at Magny-Cours, having taken P2 last year from P13 on the grid. He’s 40 points away from his Championship leading teammate and going to try to become the first rider to win three WorldSSP300 races in a row. Marc Garcia (Kove Racing Team) has entered the WorldSSP300 ‘title contenders’ group chat too and 50 away from Veneman and arrives at a circuit where he’s won, whilst Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) lies sixth, remaining in the top six but becoming further adrift from Veneman. He’s three points ahead of Jeffrey Buis (KTM Freudenberg-Paligo Racing), a triple winner at Magny-Cours.
ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 10: Gaggi, Galang and Garcia go for gold
There are a host of riders to keep an eye outside of the top ten, all eager to impress. Elia Bartolini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team) had his best weekend of his rookie year at Portimao with a double top five, whereas fellow rookie David Salvador (MS Racing) seeks a return to the top five at another new venue – his first top five came at Most, also new to him. Bruno Ieraci (Prodina Kawasaki Racing) can spring a surprise, as could Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) and Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team). Phillip Tonn (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) was strong at Portimao and has made a step, so with unpredictability always key, expect him to be a new name in the battle in the top ten. Finally, Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) will hope his fortunes change after a luckless 2024; he’s a Magny-Cours winner from 2022.
RIDER LINE-UP CHANGES: Di Sora switches to Kawasaki
With Petr Svoboda (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) still recovering from injuries sustained earlier in the year, the Fusport Kawasaki outfit have opted to bring in Samuel Di Sora, who was racing alongside Calatayud, with the Frenchman joining Inigo Iglesias. 13 of Di Sora’s 14 WorldSSP300 podiums have come on the Kawasaki Ninja 400.
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Source: WorldSBK.com