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WorldSSP title rivals at the front in Most’s FP1 with Bulega on top, Manzi P3

Friday, 28 July 2023 10:21 GMT

    • In what could be one of the most important rounds of the year before the summer break commences, the Championship leader wants to remind his rivals of why he is exact that

    The eighth round of the 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship got underway on Friday morning in very contrasting conditions to anything that had been seen throughout the rest of the morning. After wet sessions for WorldSBK and WorldSSP300, the best conditions of the morning track action were reserved for WorldSSP, with it being perfectly dry. At the front, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) was the rider to beat, setting a 1'35.437.

    Championship leader Bulega is keen to strike back after giving up ground at Imola last time out, and he started out as he means to go on at Most, with a 1’35.437 being the best time, less than a second off the lap record as the track rubbered in and four tenths ahead of the opposition. Second place went to another Ducati as Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) aims to hit good form before the summer break ensues. Rider in form Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was third and looks to make it a hat-trick of victories on the spin in his quest to close down Bulega in the title race. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) also continued his strong showings, taking fourth and was top Kawasaki, ahead of Dutchman Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team).

    Outside the top five and in sixth place, Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) adapts to Most on a WorldSSP machine for the first time, whilst back in action following his Imola crash, Niki Tuuli (PTR Triumph) was seventh. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) was in eighth place, ahead of Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) by just 0.001s, whilst home-hero Ondrej Vostatek (PTR Triumph) was something of a revelation in P10, deputising for the injured Harry Truelove and showcasing his and the Triumph’s strengths at his home round. Outside the top ten, Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) was only 12th, with Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 14th, both split by Tom Booth-Amos (Motozoo ME AIR Racing), the top WorldSSP Challenge rider in P13. Making his debut in the class, Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) was 25th.

    Top six after WorldSSP FP1 at Most, full results here:

    1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 1’35.437s

    2. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.421s

    3. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.494s

    4. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) +0.556s

    5. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) +0.722s

    6. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.962s

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