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Gonzalez storms to the top with late lap in WorldSSP at Misano

Friday, 11 June 2021 10:25 GMT

    • Spanish rider Manuel Gonzalez continued his impressive start to the season by topping the early running at Misano

    The FIM Supersport World Championship’s return to the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” was full of drama in Free Practice 1 for the Pirelli Made in Italy Emilia-Romagna Round as Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) claimed top spot with a late lap as the top three were separated by just 0.066s seconds in the opening session of the weekend.

    One Event rider Filippo Fuligni (D34G Racing) had been top of the timesheets until the very end of the session when 2019 WorldSSP300 Champion Gonzalez jumped up to the top of the timesheets with a 1’38.789s, ahead of Fuligni. Fuligni ended the morning session in second place despite a crash late on in the session, ahead of Federico Caricasulo (GMT94 Yamaha), who recovered from an early crash to complete the top three.

    Jules Cluzel ensured both GMT94 Yamaha riders were in the top four, just one tenth away from Gonzalez’s time, with Estonian Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) in fifth place. 2019 WorldSSP Champion Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team) had a positive start to his weekend with sixth place, just 0.140s away from Gonzalez; showing how tight the field is.

    Estoril Race 2 winner Dominique Aegerter (EAB Racing Team) was seventh with three-time race winner Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) in eighth place. Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) also lost valuable track time when he came off his bike at Turn 2 in the early stages of the session but was able to finish inside the top ten, with Sammarinese rider Luca Bernardi (CM Racing), celebrating his home race, in tenth.

    Kevin Manfredi (Altogo Racing Team) was the highest placed rider competing in the WorldSSP Challenge in 13th place, with his nearest rival, Maria Herrera (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing) in 16th; just three tenths separating the two riders as they go in search of WorldSSP Challenge honours at Misano.

    Pawel Szkopek (Yamaha MS Racing) was one of a few riders to crash during the opening session with the Polish rider coming off his bike at the difficult Turn 9 corner, ending his session before it had really got started, with Szkopek taken to the medical for a check-up following the crash. Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) was 17th in the session following a crash at Turn 12. One Event rider Luca Ottaviani (RM Racing) also had a crash in the opening session but was able to re-join following his off at Turn 14.

    The top six following WorldSSP FP1, full results here:

    1.    Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) 1'38.789s

    2.    Filippo Fuligni (D34G Racing) +0.062s

    3.    Federico Caricasulo (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.066s

    4.    Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.101s

    5.    Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) +0.113s

    6.    Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team) +0.140s

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