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Following the announcement of FIM Supersport World Championship legend Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) last time out at Imola, the WorldSSP grid now prepares for battle without the five time world champion threatening to disrupt the Yamaha party. Dominating the series, as five Yamaha riders sit in the top five positions of the championship, the tight battle heads into round six, with 12 points covering the top of the standings and no one is holding back.

Randy Krummenacher (BARDHAL Evans Bros. WorldSSP Team) leads the way in the title charge, and he has certainly earned bragging rights so far this season. Putting on a stunning display around Assen to come from the back of the grid to second, he put up another fight around Imola to come from 11^th to salvage a top five finish. Sitting at the top of the standings after some misfortunes in the battle, the Swiss rider heads to Donington with a small advantage, hungry to be back on the top step. Securing a podium finish here in WorldSSP, he will certainly have the pace from the offset.

Reigning world champion Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) will hope to put the start of his European stint behind him, not finishing on the podium since Thailand in March. Struggling with his corner exit in Spain and The Netherlands, he came to Imola full of confidence but crashed out of the fight for the lead and crossed the line in a credible eighth.  Hungry for a taste of Prosecco DOC once again, and after taking second around Donington Park last season he will look at replicating this once more. Lending itself to the style of the YZF-R6, it could be a make or break round for Mahias.

WorldSSP rookie Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing) returns to Donington Park for the first time since 2009 when he was racing in the 125cc World Championship, and he will be keen to take his second ever victory in the new class. Despite a tough record here in the past, he will welcome a return to track he is familiar with and with a plan to change his riding style to adapt to the class, it will be interesting to watch his progress this weekend. Sitting four points off the top of the standings, the German is certainly not out of the title battle.

Quietly making some strong progress this season is Raffaele De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag), as the Italian has taken two podium finishes so far this season with his new team. Steadily moving up the results, he now sits in sixth position in the championship standings and is the first rider to bring the fight to the Yamaha’s. Moving back into WorldSSP for 2018, the Italian is making a strong impact and after scoring points in the WorldSBK race here last year he will have the circuit knowledge, and a good understanding of the bike to help him through the weekend.

British hopeful Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing) will hope to have a strong weekend in front of his home crowds, as he continues to put in a solid year on board his Triumph machine. With a fourth position here last season, there is a lot of hope for Stapleford has his 2018 season as been stronger so far. With the support of the home crowd and tapping into his local knowledge, he could pull out a surprise this weekend.

Follow all the sensational WorldSSP action throughout the Prosecco DOC UK Round with the WorldSBK VideoPass, and prepare for edge of your seat racing action from 11.30 LT (+1 GMT) on Sunday 27^th May.