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LAST-LAP BATTLE: Manzi pips Schroetter to Race 2 victory, Mahias returns to rostrum as Huertas finishes 32nd

Sunday, 24 March 2024 15:21 GMT

    • A red-flagged Race 2 gave plenty of drama in a shortened race as Manzi claimed victory, while Race 1 winner Huertas was the last classified rider

    The FIM Supersport World Championship continued to provide plenty of excitement as Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) claimed a first win of the 2024 season in Race 2 for the Pirelli Catalunya Round. In a shortened red-flag race, there were plenty of early title race twists with Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) the last classified rider after a small Turn 1 crash on Lap 5 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

    Huertas got a good start when the lights went out and kept the lead despite early pressure from Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)., Oncu, on Lap 2, tried to move into first by overtaking Huertas and Montella at Turn 1. All three made contact, and continued, but Huertas dropped to fourth, allowing Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) into the podium fight.

    Huertas soon moved back into the lead with a two-for-one move into Turn 1 with Mahias in second, and the experienced Frenchman kept the pressure on the #99 until the red flags were shown. They were deployed following a crash for rookie Piotr Biesiekirski (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) at Turn 1, with the Pole taken to the medical centre following his tumble.

    When the race got underway, it was over a six-lap distance with a front row of Huertas, Mahias and Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse). Montella got away well when the lights went out, taking the lead of the race, but it didn’t last long as Huertas pulled off another two-for-one overtake around the outside of Turn 1, passing both Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) and Montella. The battle continued to rage on until a mistake by Huertas meant he went into the gravel and dropping all the way down to 32nd place.

    That promoted Schroetter into the fight, and he took advantage by passing Manzi into Turn 7 to take the lead before the #62 responded at Turn 1 on the final lap and instantly built a gap over the MV Agusta star. Manzi was able to hold on despite Schroetter’s pressure for victory by 0.086s, ahead of Mahias in third; the Frenchman taking his first podium since Estoril 2020. It was Manzi’s sixth win and 25th podium, while Schroetter claimed his 11th rostrum – and continues his record of scoring a podium in every race this year.

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

    1. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing)

    2. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.086s

    3. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.201s

    4. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.681s

    5. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +0.714s

    6. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +1.279s

    Fastest Lap: Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 1'44.432 - New Race Lap record

    Championship standings:

    1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 76 points

    2. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 72

    3. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 65

    4. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) 44

    5. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 41

    6. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 36

    WorldSSP heads to the Netherlands next and you can watch it all using the WorldSBK VideoPass!