Racing action got underway at the TT Circuit Assen in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship and it was a typically unpredictable affair, with Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) leading an MTM Kawasaki podium lockout at the Prosecco DOC Dutch Round, extending his Championship lead after his nearest rival crash out.

LIGHTS OUT

At the start of the race, polesitter Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) was able to keep the lead of the race from his rivals but soon found himself falling down the order, although he was able to keep in the lead group throughout the first half of the race. The lead group throughout the 14-lap race was consistently around 10 riders although in the latter stages the top three tried to break away.

The race was full of drama throughout with the lead battle between Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) and teammate Jeffrey Buis on the last lap of the race with Huertas making his move late on the final lap of the race. Buis claimed his first podium of the 2021 campaign as he looks to kickstart his title defence on home soil but was demoted to third after the flag for a track limits infringement on the final lap, with teammate Koen Meuffels claiming second place ahead of Buis. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Yamaha Motoxracing) secured fourth place, after a drag race with Meuffels that was originally a battle for third.

THE TOP TEN

Samuel di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo) claimed fourth place after both Bahattin Sofuoglo (Biblion Yamaha Motoxracing) and Kevin Sabatucci (Viñales Racing Team) were penalised for last-lap track infringements, with Sabatucci completing a stunning race to fight back and claim sixth place after starting from 22^nd, with South African rider Dorren Louriero (Fusoort – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) claiming seventh place, ahead of polesitter Steeman. Ton Kawakami (AD78 Team Brasil by MS Racing) was in ninth place, after a late-race crash with Yuta Okaya (MTM Kawasaki), but the Brazilian was able to stay on his bike; Okaya forced to retire from the race.

Despite a double Long Lap Penalty for a jump start, and a crash with Ruben Bijman, Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing)  (Machado CAME SBK) claimed a top ten finish, with Bijman retiring from the race later on. Alejandro Carrion (Kawasaki GP Project) claimed 11^th place ahead of Harry Khouri (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki), Oliver König (Movisio by MIE),  Alfonso Coppola (Team Trasimeno) and Johan Gimbert (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) who completed the points; König awarded a one-place penalty for a last-lap track limits infringement at Turn 18, whole Gimbert was forced to drop two positions after being deemed to have overtaken under yellow flags at Turn 16.

THE CLASSIFIED RIDERS

Alessandro Zanca (Kawasaki GP Project) came home in 16^th place with Twan Smits (Viñales Racing Team), replacing Dean Berta Viñales, in 17^th on his WorldSSP300 debut. Wildcard Sven Doornebal (Molendaar Racing Team) was in 18^th place after the 14-lap race with Marco Gaggi (Biblion Yamaha Motoxracing) and Thom Molenaar (Molenaar Racing Team) rounding out the top 20.

James McManus (Team# 109 Kawasaki) claimed 21^st place with Antonio Frappola (Chiodo Moto Racing) in 22^nd place; just over a tenth behind McManus. Indy Offer (SMW Racing) claimed his best ever WorldSSP300 result to date with 23^rd, ahead of Joel Romero (SMW Racing), Miguel Santiago Duarte (Yamaha MS Racing) and Victor Rodriguez Nuñez (Accolade Smrz Racing); Nuñez having a crash on the second lap of the race at Turn 1 and coming home last of the classified runners.

TO NOTE…

For the second race in a row, Tom Booth-Amos (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) crashed out of the race at the final corner when fighting for a strong result, with the British rider forced to retire from the race despite fighting for the podium. The first half of the opening lap had been without incident but as the riders got to Turn 10, there was an incident between Thomas Brianti (Prodina Team WorldSSP300), the returning Christian Stange (2R Racing) and Mirko Gennai (Team BRcorse); Gennai retiring from the race but Brianti and Stange able to bring their bikes back to the pits with Brianti re-joining the race.

Czech rider Petr Svoboda (WRP Wepol Racing) went down at Turn 10 and retired from the race. Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing) and Ruben Bijman (Machado CAME SBK) had a coming together at the final chicane on the second lap although both were able to continue. Orradre’s race was compromised with a double Long Lap Penalty for a jump start as well as the collision. Bijman retired from the race after

On the fourth lap, Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) had a massive highside at Turn 4 which forced the Spanish rider to retire from the race. At the same time, Gabriele Mastroluca (ProGP Racing) and Sylvain Markarian (Leader Team Flembbo) also retired from the race, while Bruno Ieraci (Machado CAME SBK) was another retirement from the race alongside Vicente Perez Selfa (Machado CAME SBK). As the race started Lap 10, Inigo Iglesias (SWM Racing) and Meikon Kawakami (AD78 Team Brasil by MS Racing) came together at the final chicane; Iglesias retiring from the race and Kawakami able to continue.

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

1. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki)

2. Koen Meuffels (MTM Kawasaki) +0.959s

3. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) +0.960s

4. Samuel Di Sora (Flembbo Leader Team) +1.363

5. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Yamaha Motoxracing) +1.364

6. Kevin Sabatucci (Viñales Racing Team) +1.367s

Fastest Lap: Meikon Kawakami (AD78 Team Brasil by MS Racing) 1'49.542 (New Lap Record)

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