The first round of the 2022 FIM Supersport World Championship concluded with another thrilling race at MotorLand Aragon for the Pirelli Aragon Round, with Swiss rider Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) earning his first win of the season in Race 2 after a race-long battle with Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team). The pair leave Aragon tied on points heading into the Dutch Round.

TOP THREE BATTLE FOR VICTORY: Baldassarri, Aegerter and Oncu fight it out

After getting away well as lights went out, Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) led at the front of the field ahead of Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) and Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). Turkish star Oncu looked to make a move on Baldassarri into Turn 1 before the Italian responded immediately around the outside of Turn 2 on Lap 2 of 15.

Baldassarri soon had his eyes on Aegerter out in front and on Lap 5 made his move for the lead at the final two corners in search for a double victory on debut. Aegerter remained close to Baldassarri despite the Italian leading the race, showing the front of his bike for a potential move into Turn 1 before making the move at the start of Lap 12. Despite closing the gap between the leading duo reducing into the final laps, Aegerter was able to hold on for victory by getting underneath Baldassarri at Turn 16-17 as the Italian looked for his second win of the weekend.

Despite battling, Aegerter and Baldassarri were able to pull away from Oncu who had looked like claiming third place but a technical issue as the last lap started allowed Dutch rider Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) to move into podium place, although he was overhauled by Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) who claimed Ducati’s first WorldSSP podium since Valencia in 2007 with Gianluca Nannelli, who also finished third; almost 15 years to the day (April 10^th 2022 compared to April 15^th 2007) since Ducati’s last podium.

Aegerter’s victory meant he denied Baldassarri a debut double as he took the 11^th victory of his WorldSSP career and the 18^th podium in WorldSSP. It was also his first win at MotorLand Aragon in WorldSSP, while Baldassarri claimed his second podium in as many races to start his WorldSSP career in stunning fashion. Bulega’s podium meant he became the 22^nd Italian rider to stand on the WorldSSP podium.

STRONG RESULTS AND STUNNING COMEBACKS: completing the top ten

Van Straalen in fourth finished more than three seconds clear of Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in fifth place as the Finnish rider battled with Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) on track. Tuuli was able to pass Cluzel in the closing stages of the race before pulling out a gap of almost two seconds. With Cluzel in sixth, Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) claimed seventh place in a strong result for the rookie after running as high in fourth in the early stages of the race.

Stefano Manzi (Dynavolt Triumph) had to start the race from the back of the grid following a tyre pressure infringement but he battled his way back to secure an eighth place finish on Triumph’s return to WorldSSP, with the British manufacturer securing a double top ten with Hannes Soomer (Dynavolt Triumph) in tenth. Italian rider Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura WorldSSP) is another who had to fight his way back through the field after issues in Saturday’s Superpole session as he finished in ninth; sandwiched between the two Triumph machines.

A BATTLE FOR POINTS: taking home points and just missing out…

2021 WorldSSP300 Champion Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) secured a double points finish with 11^th in Race 2, finishing more than a second clear of Federico Caricasulo (Althea racing); the Italian having a huge moment on the opening lap of the race before settling into the battle to take home points. Patrick Hobelsberger (Kallio Racing) claimed 13^th place, around 1.5s behind Caricasulo, while Turkish rider Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) claimed 14^th place after a late-race charge. Sofuoglu’s 2021 WorldSSP300 rival, Tom Booth-Amos (Prodina Racing WorldSSP), rounded out the points with 15^th place; just 0.019s clear of Andy Verdoia (GMT94 Yamaha) in 16^th.

Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing) bounced back from difficulties on Saturday to finish 17^th in Race 2, ahead of 2020 WorldSSP300 Champion Jeffrey Buis (Motozoo Racing by Puccetti) in 18^th place. He withstood the challenge from Oli Bayliss (BARNI Spark Racing Team) in 19^th, 0.302s back from Buis, while Kyle Smith (VFT Racing) was just 0.009s back from Bayliss. Filippo Fuligni (D34G Racing) was 21^st, some nine seconds back from Smith, while Ondrej Vostatek (Yamaha MS Racing) and Eugene James McManus (Motozoo Racing by Puccetti) rounded out the field.

TO NOTE: WorldSSP housekeeping

Marcel Brenner (VFT Racing) was the first retirement of the race after he had technical issues on the opening lap. Although he was able to bring his Yamaha machine back to the pits, he did not re-join the race. Alessandro Zetti (Kallio Racing) did not take the start of the race following a crash in WorldSSP Warm Up. Rookie Maximilian Kofler (CM Racing) ended his race on Turn 10 after he had a crash at Turn 1 when he lost the front of his Ducati machine. Peter Sebestyen (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) brought his machine into the pits while Leonardo Taccini (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) had a Turn 1 crash on Lap 13 which ended his race.

The top six from WorldSSP Race 2, full results here:

1. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha)

2. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +0.030s

3. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – WorldSSP Team) +7.587s

4. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) +8.012s

5. Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +11.276s

6. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) +13.050s

New Lap Record: Dominique Aegerter (Yamaha), 1’53.639s

Championship Standings

1. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 45 points

2. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) 45

3. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – WorldSSP Team) 27

4. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) 26

5. Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 21

6. Stefano Manzi (Dynavolt Triumph) 17

Best WorldSSP Challenge rider: Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 6

Don’t miss any action from WorldSSP as the Championship moves to Assen using the WorldSBK VideoPass!