After a day of drama in the FIM Supersport World Championship, Race 2 delivered more incredible action as Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) claimed another dramatic victory in a rain-impacted race at the Circuito Estoril. Like in Race 1, Aegerter dropped down the order before battling back for his 15^th WorldSSP victory during the Estoril Round.

RAIN IMPACTS THE RACE: drops from the start leading to epic comebacks

Drops of rain were reported on the Warm Up lap and they continued to impact the race throughout, although all riders did stick with slick tyres during the 18-lap battle. Aegerter’s race winning move came at Turn 9 on Lap 13 as he fought his way past title rival Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team). It means Aegerter has equalled his best winning streak from 2021 with five wins in a row, as well as his ninth consecutive podium. His winning streak last year started from Estoril Race 2, while the same race this year equals that run. Baldassarri would eventually finish in third place after losing out to Kyle Smith (VFT Racing) in the closing stages.

The field condensed as the rain fell in Portugal with a group of 11 riders in the lead group as riders looked to claim an epic victory, as positions changed throughout the order during the encounter in an unpredictable race in WorldSSP. Smith’s second place, after battling from 17^th on the grid, earned him his tenth WorldSSP podium and his first since Magny-Cours Race 2 in 2020; another rain-affected race. Baldassarri’s third place gave him his fifth podium of the season and Yamaha’s 330^th podium placement in the class.

BEST RESULTS IN THE TOP TEN: plenty of riders show their potential

Italian rookie Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) claimed his career-best WorldSSP result with fourth place, missing out on a podium by just a tenth of a second, but finishing just under a second clear of teammate Can Oncu. Oncu was one of several riders who led the race at one point but dropped back in the latter stages, finishing just 0.047s ahead of Oli Bayliss (BARNI Spark Racing Team); the Australian rookie claiming his best result so far in WorldSSP with sixth.

Another rider who claimed their best result to date was Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) as the reigning WorldSSP300 Champion secured seventh, beating his previous best of eighth which was set in Race 1 at Estoril. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) finished in eighth place as he looked to fight his way up the order, finishing more than nine seconds clear of Tom Edwards (Yart – Yamaha WorldSSP) who secured his best WorldSSP result. The youngest rider on the grid, Ondrej Vostatek (MS Racing Yamaha WorldSSP), equalled his best result to date with tenth, finishing just 0.019s behind Edwards.

TAKING HOME POINTS FROM ESTORIL: completing the top 15

Luca Ottaviani (Altogo Racing Team) finished in 11^th place as both wildcards, Italian rider Ottaviani and Australian Edwards, finished in the points. Estonian rider Hannes Soomer (Dynavolt Triumph) claimed 12^th place as the Estonian rider finished more than a second back from Ottaviani and six seconds clear of Peter Sebestyen (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) in 13^th. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) continued the theme of his season by battling up the order to claim points with 14^th ahead of rookie Ben Currie (Motozoo Racing by Puccetti) who scored his first points of 2022 in his first appearance of the year; finishing just a tenth ahead of Maximilian Kofler (CM Racing) who narrowly missed out on a point but took his best result of his rookie campaign.

TO NOTE: news from WorldSSP Race 2

Filippo Fuligni (D34G Racing) was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following a Turn 1, Lap 3 crash involving Sander Kroeze (Kallio Racing), who also taken to the medical centre. Fuligni was diagnosed with a pelvic fractured and will be transported to Lisbon Sao Jose Hospital. There was late drama between Simon Jespersen (Kallio Racing) and Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) as the pair came together on Lap 16; both forced to retire. The incident was placed under investigation by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards but no further action was taken.

Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) had a crash on Lap 13 which put him out of the race, although he was able to re-mount and bring his Panigale V2 back to the pits. Unai Orradre (MS Racing Yamaha WorldSSP) retired from the race after a Turn 4 crash on Lap 13, while Stefano Manzi (Dynavolt Triumph) pitted early for wet tyres in the early stages of the race, a game which did not pay off for the Italian rookie; the Italian opting to retire after 10 laps.

After he looked to fight for victory, Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing) had a technical issue on Lap 6 which meant he did not finish the race, while Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) was a another non-finisher after bringing his bike back to the pits in the early stages of the race.

Following a crash in Sunday's Warm Up session, Finnish rider Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was declared unfit with an open fracture to his fourth toe and fractures to his second and third toes on his left foot. Andy Verdoia (GMT94 Yamaha) was declared unfit after suffering from concussion after a Warm Up crash, while Leonardo Taccini (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was declared with worsening symptoms of a left shoulder contusion.

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

1. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha)

2. Kyle Smith (VFT Racing) +2.344s

3. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +3.762s

4. Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +3.867s

5. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +4.657s

6. Oli Bayliss (BARNI Spark Racing Team) +4.704s

Fastest lap: Dominique Aegerter, Yamaha – 1’41.072

Championship standings

1. Dominique Aegerter 120 points

2. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) 85

3. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 72

4. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) 63

5. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 56

6. Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 43

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