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Gonzalez smashes WorldSSP lap record in FP1, Cluzel on top in FP2 at Portimao

Friday, 1 October 2021 16:14 GMT

    • Two different riders hit the top of the timesheets in WorldSSP as the Championship hit Portimao, with the Championship leaders

    The last of the triple header for the FIM Supersport World Championship got underway at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve for the Motul Portuguese Round, with Spanish rider Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) breaking the all-time lap record for the Portuguese venue in the morning Free Practice 1 session, enough to set the fastest time of the day.

    A NEW LAP RECORD

    During the 45-minute morning opening practice session, Gonzalez posted a 1’44.188s to smash the lap record for Portimao in the morning session to top the timesheets for the opening day of action, ahead of Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) in second place after a strong day for the Frenchman; Cluzel topping Free Practice 2 in the afternoon while finishing second in FP1. Cluzel’s former teammate, Federico Caricasulo (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing) was third on Friday, his best time coming in the morning session.

    ROUNDING OUT THE TOP TEN…

    Championship leader Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was fourth after initially finishing eighth in the opening session, before responding in FP2 with the second fastest time in FP2 with a 1’44.593s as the Swiss rider kept finding time. His nearest rival in the Championship, Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team), was directly behind him in fifth place with Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) rounding out the top six after bouncing back from technical issues in FP1 to record his best time of the day in FP2.

    Turkish star Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) claimed seventh place, just 0.002s clear of his teammate Phillip Oettl in eighth place with both riders setting their best time in the morning session. Italian Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was ninth as he looks to continue his rich run of form, while Randy Krummenacher (CM Racing) rounded out the top ten; the Swiss rider, like Tuuli, suffering from technical issues in FP1 before setting quicker lap times in FP1.

    JUST MISSING OUT

    Yari Montella (GMT94 Yamaha) was just 0.002s away from a place in the top ten on his WorldSSP debut as he claimed 11th place with Patrick Hobelsberger (Bonovo MGM Racing) in 12th place, one tenth away from Montella. Swiss rider Marcel Brenner (VFT Racing), who has shown some impressive form in the second half of 2021, was again inside the top 15 with 13th place as Peter Sebestyen (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) and Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) rounding out the top 15; Sebestyen having a crash at Turn 3 late on in the second practice session.

    Swedish rider Christoffer Bergman (Wojcik Racing Team) claimed 16th place, around one-hundredth away from van Straalen ahead of him, while David Sanchis Martinez (WRP Wepol Racing) was 17th and Kevin Manfredi (Altogo Racing Team) the highest place WorldSSP Challenge rider in 18th. Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) was 19th with Federico Fuligni (VFT Racing) rounding out the top 20 despite a Turn 6 crash early in FP2, with the Italian able to re-join the circuit.

    The top six following WorldSSP action on Friday, full results here:

    1 Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) 1’44.188s

    2. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.170s

    3. Federico Caricasulo (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing) +0.341s

    4. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.405s

    5. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +0.430s

    6. Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) +0.633s

    Watch WorldSSP Tissot Superpole session from 10:25 Local Time (GMT+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!