The FIM Supersport World Championship title race came to a dramatic conclusion at the Circuito San Juan Villicum during the Motul Argentinean Round as Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was crowned 2021 Champion with a third-place finish, as Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) maintained his perfect record at San Juan Villicum with another commanding victory, making it four out of four in South America.

DRAMA FROM THE START

Cluzel and Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) both got good starts as the lights went out, as did Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) but the South African rider, who needed to outscore title rival Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) by at least three points to keep the Championship going to Indonesia, found himself on the floor after Turn 1 contact with Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team); the incident placed under investigation by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards. With Odendaal having to fight his way back through the field, Aegerter was crowned World Champion after finishing in third place, his first World Championship title in his rookie WorldSSP campaign. Odendaal’s fightback ended on Lap 13 from 14^th place after crashing at Turn 15.

The incident allowed Cluzel and Öncü to battle it out at the front of the field in the early stages of the 19-lap race, with Cluzel under pressure from the Turkish star. As the race entered the second half of the race, Cluzel started to pull away from Öncü and went on to claim his fourth victory at the San Juan circuit; maintaining his 100% record in Argentina. Öncü was able to hold second place for his second consecutive podium and third of his WorldSSP career.

A BATTLE FOR THIRD…

Peter Sebestyen (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) was a beneficiary of the incident at Turn 1 as he moved into third place as he looked for his maiden podium, but soon found himself under pressure from Aegerter and Finland’s Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti). Both were able to make their way past the Hungarian rider.

Aegerter would go on to claim third place after dropping to ninth at the start following the Lap 1 incident to secure his first WorldSSP Championship with a podium finish, becoming the second Swiss rider in three years to claim the title. It was also Ten Kate Racing’s tenth WorldSSP title and their first with Yamaha. Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) battled his way through the field to claim fourth place after a late move on Sebestyen, with the Hungarian rider coming home in fifth place after a strong weekend; the first top-five for a Hungarian rider since Imre Toth at Monza in 2012 who finished fourth, while it was also Sebestyen’s best result of the campaign.

TAKING HOME POINTS

Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) claimed sixth place on his return from injury with a strong comeback result ahead of Finland’s Vertti Takala (Kallio Racing) in seventh place. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) took his best WorldSSP result with eighth place ahead of Marcel Brenner (VFT Racing) while Gonzalez was able to battle back to secure a top ten finish.

Leandro Taccini (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) claimed his first WorldSSP points finish with 11^th place on his first round for Ten Kate Racing, and his first with Yamaha machinery, while Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 12^th. Sheridan Morais (Wojcik Racing Team) claimed points on his WorldSSP return with 13^th place, ahead of Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing) who took home 14^th place despite an issue on Lap 11. 2020 WorldSSP300 Champion Jeffrey Buis (G.A.P. MOTOZOO Racing by Puccetti) secured points on his WorldSSP debut with 15^th place.

TO NOTE

Home hero Andres Gonzales (VFT Racing) was out of the race on the second lap after he had an incident at Turn 7, while fellow Argentinean Mattias Petratti (Yamaha MS Racing) was 17^th after he had to start from the pit lane as a sanction for stopping on track in the morning Warm-Up session and causing a Red Flag. Odendaal retired from the race following his second crash, while Tuuli had a last-lap crash from fourth place which forced him out of the race.

The top six following WorldSSP Race 2, full results here:

1 Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha)

2. Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +2.157s

3. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +5.525s

4. Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) +12.152s

5. Peter Sebestyen (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +12.979s

6. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) +16.864s

Fastest Lap Jules Cluzel (Yamaha) 1’41.906s New Lap Record

Championship standings

1. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 381 - Champion

2. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) 313

3. Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGO Team) 275

4. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) 241

5. Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 241

6. Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 163

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