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Treating fans to a typically thrilling FIM Supersport World Championship race, Niki Tuuli (Kallio Racing) was able to put in a stunning performance to take his debut victory in the class, finally able to battle up the front with the new YZF-R6.

Qualifying on pole position in a wet Superpole session around the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Tuuli lined up on the grid ahead of a wet race and put up a determined fight. Getting a strong start off the line, he was able to hold his own and battle it out for the victory across the 19 lap race.

Joined by fellow Yamaha rider Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team), the blue pair were locked in a duel for the victory, but it as young Finn Tuuli who saw the chequered flag first, putting in the race winning manoeuvre through turn five and holding off the stiff competition on the final laps. Putting his race long pace down to his tyre choice, Tuuli was delighted to stand on the top of the podium.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” begins Tuuli. “It was a perfect weekend for me, from the first free practise through to the race. The pace has been getting better all the time and I think we took the right tyre choice - I chose the harder tyre, and my lap times were consistent.  I think it was the best race in my career so far, especially as this season has been difficult for me.”

Regarding his new pace he has found in the second half of the season, Tuuli adds: “When we got the new bike it made a big change, because I lost the trust in the old bike after I was crashing a lot, but with the new bike my riding and confidence is coming back a bit every day, so with the new bike there has been a big change.”

Take a look back over Tuuli’s debut victory in the Pirelli French Round, as the Finnish rider was able to cruise to the win in the highly competitive class with the WorldSBK VideoPass.