WorldSSP300 set for the title battle
WorldSBK commentator Steve English previews the stunning season finale
The inaugural World Supersport 300 season will draw to a close on Sunday, and after a dramatic year which has seen five different winners and ten riders stand on the podium, it all comes down to two riders separated by just four points.
Both Marc Garcia (Halcourier Racing) and Alfonso Coppola (SK Racing) have had the misfortune of one non-score, but they have been the most consistent riders in the class. Both have shown a turn of speed and the flashes of race craft that are needed to win a world championship.
Garcia has been designated as a “one event rider” all season but far from being a flash in the pan, he has been fast all year. Since claiming his first win at Imola he has been on the podium in all but one race. The former Red Bull Rookies Cup race winner came with a reputation as a hot shot, and he has lived up to it at every turn.
Coppola came with little fanfare but his care free attitude has netted him a Supersport ride in 2018, as the winner of the bLU cRU initiative. Six podiums from eight races have shown his consistency, and if not for a disqualification in Britain he would be comfortably leading the standings with one race remaining. His fate is still in his hands however, with a second victory of the campaign guaranteeing him the title.
Coppola is not the only rider to have fallen afoul of the regulations. Were it not for his disqualification, after winning in Germany, Mika Perez (WILSport Racedays) would have given us a third rider in with a chance of stealing the crown. The Spaniard would have been just one point adrift of Garcia, and arguably the favourite for the title. As it stands, the double European Junior Cup champion will be the one to watch this weekend.
The title may be out of reach for Perez, but he could play a key role in deciding the outcome. Should he win we could easily see a situation where the title is decided on the tie-break between Garcia and Coppola. In the event of a tie-break, Garcia would claim the title on a countback of victories.
Garcia has the home crowd and despite having been beaten last time out, Coppola has been able to consistently eat into the title lead of his rival. Battle is about to commence on the final World Supersport 300 round of the year and it looks set to be a thriller!
