It was a run to the line to decide multiple positions in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with 2020 Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) claiming his second victory of the 2021 campaign by just one tenth of a second ahead of Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Yamaha Motoxracing) during the Hyundai N Catalunya Round, while Championship contender Tom Booth-Amos (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) scored no points after a Turn 1 crash.

NOTHING TO SEPARATE THE TOP TWO

Buis made his move on the final lap of the 12-lap encounter to claim his sixth career victory in WorldSSP300, closing the gap to Booth-Amos and teammate Adrian Huertas in the Championship standings. Buis finished ahead of Sofuoglu by just 0.116s as the Turkish star claimed his first podium since WorldSSP300’s visit to Magny-Cours in 2020.

The battle for third was between brothers Ton and Meikon Kawakami (AD78 Team Brasil by MS Racing) with just 0.004s separating the pair as they crossed the line, with Ton claiming his first WorldSSP300 podium and levelling things up between the two brothers, with the pair two tenths behind Sofuoglu; Meikon claiming fourth place.

CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE TAKES A TWIST…

Wildcard Alvaro Diaz Cebrian (Arco-Motor University Team) secured a top five finish, just under a tenth away from a maiden podium finish for the Spanish rider. Polesitter Inigo Iglesias (SMW Racing) ended the race in seventh place with Championship leader Huertas in seventh; Huertas gaining points over Booth-Amos in the Championship standings following the Briton’s non-score.

Championship contender Booth-Amos was the first rider to retire from the race when he was involved in a collision with Oliver König (Movisio by MIE) and Sofuoglu at Turn 1 on Lap 4, forcing the British rider out of the race while König and Sofuoglu were able to continue. Following the crash, Booth-Amos was taken to the medical centre for a check-up and declared unfit with a fracture to his first right metacarpal bone. König would eventually retire from the race after a crash at Turn 10 on Lap 10.

Yeray Ruiz (Yamaha MS Racing) was running in the lead group throughout the race and ended the battle in ninth place, three tenths clear of Spanish compatriot Alejandro Carrion (Kawasaki GP Project) who rounded out the top ten.

COMPLETING THE POINTS…

Carrion just managed to secure a top ten finish ahead of Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Kawasaki) who was less than a tenth away from Carrion. Johan Gimbert (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) claimed his best result of the 2021 campaign with 12^th place, a tenth clear of Koen Meuffels (MTM Kawasaki).

Dean Berta Viñales (Viñales Racing Team) continued his points-scoring run with 14^th place while Czech rider Petr Svoboda (WRP Wepol Racing) rounded out the points with 15^th place; the top 15 in the race separated by just 2.1 seconds.

TO NOTE

Mirko Gennai (BRcorse) crashed at Turn 4 on Lap 6 but was able to rejoin the race, but later retired with a technical problem. Gabriele Mastroluca (ProGP Racing) and Harry Khouri (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM - Kawasaki) both crashed at Turn 5 on Lap 8, with Khouri able to rejoin while Mastroluca retired. Yeray Saiz Marquez (Viñales Racing Team) had a double Long Lap Penalty for a jump start, eventually finishing in 33^rd place.

There was late drama for Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo), Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) and Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing) at Turn 5 when the trio came together in the closing stages of the race, forcing all three out of the race. The incident will be investigated by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards after the race.

The top six following WorldSSP300 Race 1, full results here:

1 Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki)

2. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Yamaha Motoxracing) +0.116s

3. Ton Kawakami (AD78 Team Brasil by MS Racing) +0.462s

4. Meikon Kawakami (AD78 Team Brasil by MS Racing) +0.466s

5. Alvaro Diaz Cebrian (Arco-Motor University Team) +0.557s

6. Inigo Iglesias (SMW Racing) +0.718s

Watch Race 2 from WorldSSP300 tomorrow at 13:45 Local Time (GMT+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!