WSBK – WSSP Italy: champion Sofuoglu takes the lead –

WSSP Italy: champion Sofuoglu takes the lead

WSBK - WSSP Italy: champion Sofuoglu takes the lead -

Shortened to 11 laps due to a red flag, the Supersport race at Imola was dominated by Sofuoglu. The Turkish driver takes advantage of the absence of his teammate to take the lead in the championship. Cluzel and Jacobsen catch up… Supersport Imola Race 2016 Jules Cluzel starts perfectly from his pole position ahead of Kenan Sofuoglu, Randy…

Shortened to 11 laps due to a red flag, the Supersport race at Imola was dominated by Sofuoglu. The Turkish driver takes advantage of the absence of his teammate to take the lead in the championship. Cluzel and Jacobsen catch up…

Supersport Imola Race 2016

Jules Cluzel started perfectly from his pole position ahead of Kenan Sofuoglu, Randy Krummenacher, Patrick Jacobsen, Federico Caricasulo, Alessandro Zaccone, Ayrton Badovini, Lorenzo Zanetti, Gino Rea, Alex Baldolini. Our French champion, Cedric Tangre, is 34th (out of 37 drivers entered!).

MV Agusta n ° 16 completed a cautious first lap and was surprised when braking in the final chicane: the Turkish champion tried to accelerate but made a small error by tumbling into the Villeneuve chicane, which allowed "Julo" to resume the race. head of the race !

Krummenacher and Jacobsen remain in the wheel of the two leaders and are followed by an impressive field made up of five Italian drivers. At the end of the 2nd lap, a light smoke emanates from the fairing of the Ninja n ° 21 … The leader of the championship does not see the black flags with orange and white points which ask him to pull over.

Suspicious, Jacobsen and his pursuers distance themselves from Randy who does not understand why he is asked to abandon the race. The imbroglio benefits Sofuoglu and Cluzel who escape in the lead … but only a few moments because the red flags are out following the fall of Gamarino !

Krummenacher talks with the organizers without taking off his helmet: the Swiss wants at all costs to go back to defend his 1st place in the provisional! His opponents take advantage of the break to hydrate, eat or discuss strategy with their team.

"Krummenator" is ultimately not allowed to take the track again, so Zanetti inherits 4th place on the Italian grid. Gamarino, on the other hand, behind the red flag, can go back on the handlebars of his repaired Kawasaki. The race is limited to 11 laps…

Second start: Cluzel got off to a good start again and led the 1st lap to Acqua Minareli where Sofuoglu posted his Ninja n ° 1 in front of the MV Agusta n ° 16. Patrick Jacobsen passes our "Coq Supersportif" in the line – not very – straight at the start of the 2nd lap.

Just behind Kenan, Jules and PJ are the locals Zanetti, Badovini, Baldolini, Caricasulo and Zaccone, as well as the Czech Jezek. German driver Kevin Wahr completes the Top 10 two seconds later with Nico Terol.

Dropped by his main opponents, "Julo" was overtaken by his teammate Zanetti on the 3rd lap. Badovini momentarily passes in front of our compatriot but Jules takes advantage of the good fight between the two Italians to recover the third position !

Sofuoglu completed the third lap at a record pace, a third of a second faster than Jacobsen. Cluzel is almost in the pace of the leader and catches the n ° 2 Honda. Zanetti and Baldolini bury the hatchet and stay in contact with Cluzel. Baldolini, Caricasulo, Badovini and Zaccone do not let go either.

Gino Rea fell in a chicane at the end of the course and almost mowed down the unlucky Christian Gamarino! The Italian remains on his wheels but swings a good dose of gravel at the exit of the chicane … Fortunately, their pursuers – and the leading men a lap later – pass this "trap" without incident..

Unperturbed, Sofuoglu increased his lead to over a second and a half over Jacobsen at the end of the 6th lap. The three pilots of MV Agusta Cluzel, Zanetti and Baldolini cling to the Honda of the American. Caricasulo, Zaccone and Badovini are slightly behind.

Cluzel took second place on the 7th lap in the double right Rivazza. In the next loop, our n ° 16 beats the Sofuoglu lap record but there are only three laps to go and the Turkish has 1.5 seconds ahead.

Cluzel’s effort does not allow him to get back on the leader but ‘moves away at least Jacobsen still third, far ahead of the horde of Italian: Baldolini passed in front of Zanetti, Zaccone in turn threatens the official MV Agusta, Caricasulo and Badovini fight against Jezek.

Sofuoglu takes advantage of the retirement of his young teammate to win his second victory of the season and take the lead in the provisional standings: 86 points against 71 still for Krummenacher. Our dear Cluzel pockets 20 points and reaches the 3rd place overall (58 points).

The 2015 vice-world champion Jacobsen bounced back after his two draws at Aragon and Assen: the 16 points of third place allowed him to gain two places in the overall standings (43 points). Entered in the Superstock category, our second representative Cedric Tangre obtains the 27th place in the Italian race.

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