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The last time the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship was in action was at Misano at the start of June. The unpredictability of the Championship returns after a six-week hiatus with the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola hosting WorldSSP300’s breath-taking action. The Prometeon Italian Round promises to be another stunning weekend of action as the title fight gears up – it will be the halfway stage of the season for WorldSSP300 – while a wildcard returns to action and hopes to surprise again.

IERACI RETURNS: will he repeat his Misano feat at Imola?

At Misano, Bruno Ieraci (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) stunned everyone with his first two wins in the Championship as a wildcard. Ieraci is one of the most experienced riders in WorldSSP300 with 50 races under his belt but his two victories, his first two in WorldSSP300, came as a wildcard. He took a maximum 50-point haul from Misano and the 22-year-old will be hoping he can put the cat amongst the pigeons once again at Imola and drag himself up the standings. Ieraci has valuable experience of Imola from his time in the domestic series, including wins in the Pre Moto3 class in 2014.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT HEATS UP: looking to leave Imola on top

Ieraci will face stiff competition on home soil as riders fighting for the Championship look to leave Italy with a clear advantage over their rivals. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) heads into his home round one point clear of Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) in second at a circuit neither have raced at in WorldSSP300. Gennai, however, has raced there when competing in the Italian championship albeit between 2016 and 2018. Will his experience here help extend his lead? Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) will be looking to get his Championship charge back on track and the Dutchman was on the grid last time WorldSSP300 came to Imola in 2019; although the race was cancelled.

HOME HEROES: can other Italian riders give the fans something to cheer?

Aside from the four race winners in 2023, plenty of Italian riders will be searching for glory at Imola. Two-time race winner Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) has two podiums at Imola in CIV Supersport 300, while Alfonso Coppola, making a return to WorldSSP with the Sublime Racing by MS Racing squad, was victorious at the historic circuit last year in CIV. Mattia Martella (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) has also won there in CIV: could there be an inter-team fight for victory during the Italian Round? Gabriele Mastroluca (Arco Motor University Team), Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse), Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – Pi Performances), Devis Bergamini (ProGP Racing) and Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) will also go in search of strong results on home soil. Michael Agazzi (Sublime Racing by MS Racing) will make his WorldSSP300 debut at Imola as will Roberto Jason Sarchi (Gradaracorse) as the second wildcard.

THE FIGHT FOR THIRD: four nationalities looking for the top three

Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) currently heads the battle for third with 71 points and just six points separate four riders from four different countries. Chasing down German rider Geiger are Spain’s Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR), France’s Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) and Brazil’s Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team). How much will the order change in the battle for third, or will any of them be able to close the gap and make the title fight even more unpredictable?

HISTORY AT IMOLA: what happened on previous visits?

WorldSSP300 has gone to the stunning Italian circuit on three occasions although the Race in 2019 was cancelled due to torrential rain. There have been two different polesitters in three Tissot Superpole sessions – Mika Perez in 2017 and 2019 and Ana Carrasco in 2018. Neither are on the grid in 2023, so we are set for a brand-new rider on pole this time around. Carrasco also claimed victory in 2018 on her way to being crowned World Champion, while 2017 Champion Marc Garcia won at Imola the year he won the title. Garcia returns to WorldSSP300 action during the Italian Round as he links up with the China Racing Team, replacing Junhao Zhan. Could a race winner in 2023 continue this form of being crowned Champion the same season they won at Imola?

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