News

Odendaal triumphs in Red-Flagged WorldSSP Race 1 at Most

Saturday, 7 August 2021 13:59 GMT

    • Back on top for a fourth win of 2021, Odendaal was in the right place at the right time

    The 2021 FIM Supersport World Championship took to Autodrom Most in Race 1 on Saturday afternoon, and it was building to be a thrilling finish before a Red Flag was waved. A hair-raising opening few laps eventually settled down and it was Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) who took victory as the Red Flag came out, denying Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGO Team) and Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing).

    UNDERWAY: frantic opening laps

    It was a lightening start from Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) from fourth on the grid, as he grabbed the holeshot, whilst Philipp Oettl was second and ahead of fast-starting teammate Can Öncü Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was right in the mix, with pole-sitter Manuel Gonzalez going backwards and Steven Odendaal. Danny Webb (WRP Wepol Racing) was an early crasher at Turn 8, whilst Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) also failed to complete the first lap.

    Before long, both Oettl and Öncü worked their way to the front and got ahead of Cluzel, before Öncü hit the front at the start of Lap 3 but it would be swapping and changing in what was an epic opening to WorldSSP Race 1. At the start of Lap 4, it was Steven Odendaal who went from fourth to first in the braking area at Turn 1, before Philipp Oettl got through on teammate Öncü into Turn 15. The Turk fought back at Turn 16 but clipped his teammate, being relegated to sixth whilst Odendaal now had a small gap beginning to appear. A lap later and pole-sitter Gonzalez had a huge moment at Turn 17, somehow staying upright.

    DRAMA ON THE HORIZON: resurgences and incidents

    There was a big crash on Lap 8 as Marc Alcoba (Yamaha MS Racing) crashed heavily at Turn 13. He was holding his wrist as he got onto his feet. At the front, Odendaal’s lead was hovering around the half a second mark, with Oettl and Gonzalez chasing him down. However, Dominique Aegerter was now starting to pick his way through the field and was in fourth. At the half-race distance, Federico Caricasulo (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing) was up into fifth after passing Luca Bernardi (CM Racing).

    On Lap 11, Gonzalez set the fastest lap of the race and then got ahead of Oettl at Turn 1 on Lap 12. Having crashed earlier in the race, Leonardo Taccini (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was now being lapped by the leading three, costing Odendaal time and bringing Gonzalez and Oettl back into contention. Odendaal, having managed his lead previously, was now defending it, whilst title rival Aegerter was zeroing in all the time from fourth.

    RED FLAG: results confirmed

    Just as the race was reaching its climax, the Red Flag was displayed as the race had just tipped into two-thirds race distance, meaning the race would not be restarted and full points were on offer. Odendaal took his fourth win of the year, ahead of Manuel Gonzalez who took his first WorldSSP podium. Philipp Oettl took third behind the Yamahas, with Odendaal giving Yamaha a 104th win in WorldSSP, meaning they equal Honda’s record at the top in terms of manufacturers’ wins in WorldSSP.

    THE REST OF THE ORDER: how it finished

    Dominique Aegerter took fourth place ahead of Federico Caricasulo and Luca Bernardi, whilst early race leader Jules Cluzel dropped to seventh. Another early leader, Can Öncü, was eighth as he dropped back through the race, ahead of Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) and Peter Sebestyen (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team). Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team) was 11th, ahead of Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), Kevin Manfredi (Altogo Racing Team), Galang Hendra Pratama (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) and Federico Fuligni (VFT Racing) completing the points.

    Top six after WorldSSP Race 1 at Most, full results here:

    1. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team)

    2. Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) +0.430s

    3. Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.521s

    4. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +2.192s

    5. Federico Caricasulo (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing) +5.294s

    6. Luca Bernardi (CM Racing) +5.316s

    Watch the 2021 season unfold with the WorldSBK VideoPass!