Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) stormed to a second pole position of the 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship season on home soil with an almost three-tenths margin over his rivals at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The #99 comes into his home round on the back of a podium last time out in Australia and will be targeting a first victory in WorldSSP during the Pirelli Catalunya Round.

HUERTAS ON POLE: Spaniard beats Oncu and Manzi to P1

The session was red flagged around halfway through it when Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) had a tech issue on the run into Turn 1, which led him into the gravel and officials working to clean up the track. When the session resumed, it was a dramatic fight for pole. Huertas went head-to-head with Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing), with the #99 posting an incredible 1’44.197s to take his second pole of 2024 by 0.274s ahead of Oncu. The #61 was able to hold on to second ahead of Manzi, with the Yamaha rider finding time in the closing stages but just falling short, with the #62 still claiming a front row start.

MAHIAS IN THE FIGHT? P4 for the Frenchman, Montella with work to do

Experience paid dividends for Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) with the 2017 Champion often running in the top three before securing P4 for the Race 1 grid. He’ll be joined by Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in fifth after the German, who secured two podiums in here last year, posted a 1’44.828s. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) will hope he can move forward in Race 1 as the double Australia winner line up from sixth place.

ROOKIE IMPRESSES: Antonelli flies into the top ten

Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) was another who used their experience with the #53 claiming seventh place, with rookie Nicolo Antonelli (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) impressing with eighth as he continues to adapt the Panigale V2. Jorge Navarro (WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph) rounded out the third row with ninth, although the home hero had been inside the top three in the early stages of Superpole.

The top six from WorldSSP Superpole, full results here:

1. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 1'44.197s

2. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.274s

3. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.333s

4. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.609s

5. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.631s

6. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Ducati) +0.634s

Don’t miss WorldSSP Race 1 from 15:15 Local Time (UTC+1) on Saturday using the WorldSBK VideoPass!