13-13 Qatar – Losail – WorldSSP Qatar: Mahias wins in the race, Cluzel loses in the championship – Used YAMAHA

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WorldSSP Qatar: Mahias wins in race, Cluzel loses in championship

13-13 Qatar - Losail - WorldSSP Qatar: Mahias wins in the race, Cluzel loses in the championship - Used YAMAHA

Delayed and shortened due to heavy rains earlier in the day, the last race of the 2018 Supersport World Championship was full of emotions: intense joy for the winner Mahias, jubilation for the champion Cortese, cruel disappointment for the boss Cluzel…

The race for the title. This final event of the world championship in Qatar and at night, will decide between the last two drivers in the running for the title: Sandro Cortese or Jules Cluzel who total respectively 188 and 183 points … following the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in declare Lucas Mahias the winner of the race in Portimao !

Thanks to this last minute rebound, the conditions for obtaining the world crown for our compatriot are considerably simplified: if "Julo" wins tonight’s race, he becomes world champion, whatever the result of his German opponent. !

Even if the German n ° 11 were to take second place in the Qatari race, thus accumulating as many points in the end as our n ° 16 (preferred number, it must be admitted), Jules would win because of his more large number of victories: five before Qatar, against two for Cortese.

Cluzel’s task will not be easy, however: in addition to Cortese’s toughness – which unfairly earned Jules a fall and a blank result in Portugal … – he must adopt Lucas Mahias’ fierce determination to brilliantly finish his career. season.

Author of the pole yesterday, the 2017 WSSP champion intends to win a third victory this season, after that – distant – in Australia and that – delayed – in Portugal. The n ° 144 of the official Yamaha team will be accompanied in the front row by the two pilots who fight for his throne: Cortese and Cluzel, in that precise order.

In second row, we find two young hopefuls in the category: the 2015 English champion Luke Stapleford who achieved his best qualification on his private Yamaha (after an average start to the season on Daytona 675!), Followed by Corentin Perolari on the R6 n ° 6 of the famous Team GMT94. Behind them will be Kyle Smith (Honda n ° 11), more experienced and winner in Qatar in 2015 and 2016.

Another factor that complicates the situation: the capricious weather of the desert (heavy rains this morning) upset the program of this last day! Delayed several times, the World Supersport final will be played over 12 laps instead of the 15 scheduled…

Let’s hope that the fighting spirit of our "Coq Supersportif" has remained 116% focused on its objective: victory, synonymous with the first world title. Otherwise, Jules must score five points more than Sandro. Come on Julo !

Departure : Jules Cluzel takes off better than Sandro Cortese when the red lights go out! Lucas Mahias is starting very strong too. Too strong in fact, since it misses its braking and widens in the first curve. Cluzel therefore takes command !

No. 16 Yamaha is ahead … Corentin Perolari, passed in front of Sandro Cortese! Lucas Mahias joins the leading group in fourth position ahead of the rest of the peloton: Thomas Gradinger, Randy Krummenacher, Luke Stapleford, Hector Barbera, Federico Caricasulo, etc. Okubo and Hornsey crash before the second turn.

Jules completed the first lap with a third of a second ahead of Sandro and Corentin, who covered a good part of the straight line neck and neck, just ahead of Lucas! The German wins under braking and simultaneously aims for Cluzel and the title !

Cortese makes a first attack at the start of the second round. Cluzel responded immediately but lost to No.11. At the 3rd passage in the straight line, however, Jules took advantage of the asphalt to dislodge Sandro and put him on the brakes at the first corner….

Staying in the wake of the two leaders, Perolari climbs to second position on turn 6! The Yamaha of the GMT94 heckles its rider when passing through a channel of water, but Corentin controls the kick. Sandro goes back a few bends further and picks up the R6 n ° 16 still in the lead.

The leader of the championship takes advantage of a small gap from his rival to regain first place … The first third of this short race has already been crossed. Cortese gradually distance Cluzel, followed by Mahias. Perolari loses two places in one lap: he is fifth behind Gradinger, Cluzel’s teammate.

The fastest driver on the track, Kyle Smith crashed on the 4th lap. In the next loop, Lucas Mahias beats the record for the unfortunate Englishman: Lucas follows Jules like his shadow … Could he help him get back on Cortese who has a dozen lengths ahead? ?

Unfortunately for our two French drivers, the German driver posted an even better time on the 6th lap. Sandro forced Jules to attack as much as possible … and even a little more: n ° 16 made a small mistake in the middle of the 7th lap and gave up a little more ground to his enemy n ° 11.

Cluzel applies as best as possible. But Cortese too! The leader nibbles a little ground on Jules … until the end of the route where Jules suddenly climbs back to his opponent’s level! Suddenly unbridled, the "Coq Supersportif" attacks in the middle of the 8th lap !

It was Cortese’s turn to crack under the pressure: a small fault gave our compatriot a little air. But n ° 11 returned to contact near the straight line, applied the brakes to n ° 16 … and was beaten again in turn n ° 2! There are three laps to go…

Until now on the reserve, Mahias adds his grain of sand at the end of the 10th lap: the n ° 144 springs at the head of the race and leaves the two leaders of the championship to explain themselves. Cortese almost fell while passing over a puddle but remained on his wheels and in front of Cluzel.

Alone in the lead, Lucas Mahias quickly consolidated his lead: one second two laps from the checkered flag, two seconds one lap … Jules attacks Sandro at the end of the straight line but delays his braking a little too much and misses the rope. The situation is getting tough for Julo.

Frustrated to see Mahias escape to victory and Cortese head for the world title, Jules asks a little too much of his machine and ends up losing the front in turn 7. Set off again immediately after his fall, Jules fell a second time by accelerating too hard on a puddle of water…

Vice-world Supersport champion in 2012 on Honda, in 2014 and 2016 on MV Agusta, the Montluçon rider must be satisfied for the second consecutive year with the bronze medal. He can however be proud of his five victories this season: if he does not finish champion of the WSSP, he is certainly the boss. !

Another statistic which illustrates the very high level of "Julo" this year: the n ° 16 covered 113 laps in the lead, against 32 for Mahias, 30 for Cortese, 18 for Caricasulo and 5 for Krummenacher. Finally, Jules fans will not fail to recall the white result of their idol in Portugal, following the blunder of Cortese. Hard.

Lucas Mahias ends this 2018 season at Losail as he had started at Phillip Island: on the top step of the podium! The 2017 world champion pockets 25 points and steals Jules his second place in the final standings.

Second in this extraordinary final in Qatar, Sandro Cortese won his second motorcycle speed world champion title: crowned in 2012 in Moto3 on KTM, he can embroider a new "star" on his leather at the end of his first 2018 season in Supersport on Yamaha! Well done Sandro.

Losail 2018 WSSP Race Result

13-13 Qatar - Losail - WorldSSP Qatar: Mahias wins in the race, Cluzel loses in the championship - Used YAMAHA

13-13 Qatar - Losail - WorldSSP Qatar: Mahias wins in the race, Cluzel loses in the championship - Used YAMAHA

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