SSP600, Imola, J3, Race: Fifth victory for Randy Krummenacher

The weekend started badly for the French camp with a broken collarbone for Corentin Perolari, the promising young driver of the GMT94 team, following an accident with Randy Krummenacher (Bardahl Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) who took pole position in 1'50.239 (new circuit record) ahead of his teammate Federico Caricasulo and Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha), despite an impressive performance from the French rider:

These three men therefore made up the first row of the starting grid, ahead of Thomas Gradinger (Kallio Racing), Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Raffaele de Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) on the second, while the third included Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing) and wild card Massimo Roccoli (Team Rossa Corsa). A little further away we found Jules Danilo in 19th position (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda), and Gaëtan Matern (Flembbo Leader Team) 27th.

While the chance of rain according to the local weather forecast was 70%, the air temperature was 14° and the ground temperature was 19°. The fastest start was Randy Krummenacher ahead of Jules Cluzel, Federico Caricasulo, Raffaele de Rosa, Thomas Gradinger, Lucas Mahias and Isaac Viñales.

Jules Cluzel took command while the “rain” flags were presented in places. He preceded Krummenacher, Caricasulo, Roccoli, Mahias, Gradinger and de Rosa. Jules Danilo is seventeenth.

Cluzel set the fastest time in 1'52.424. With 15 laps to go, he had 0.6 over Krummenacher and Caricasulo, 1.8 over Mahias and Roccoli, and 2.2 over Gradinger and de Rosa. Cluzel accelerated again in 1'51.955, but Caricasulo was slightly faster in 1'51.762. Cluzel then preceded Krummenacher and Caricasulo by 0.3.

Lucas Mahias fourth at 1.6 took the best lap time in 1'51.463, which allowed him to distance himself from Gradinger, de Rosa and Roccoli. At the front, the junction was made between Cluzel, Krummenacher and Caricasulo. Gradinger became the fastest in 1'51.218, coming within 0.5 of Mahias.

With 10 laps to go from the checkered flag, Cluzel, Krummenacher and Caricasulo were driving together in the lead, 1.7 ahead of Mahias, Gradinger and de Rosa. Suddenly Jules Cluzel moved to third behind Krummenacher and Caricasulo. He remained in contact with his two opponents, with a 0.9 lead over Mahias and Gradinger. Jules Danilo had moved up to thirteenth at 17 seconds.

With 8 laps to go, a group of 5 formed at the front, including Krummenacher, Caricasulo, Cluzel, Mahias and Gradinger. De Rosa was 6th at 2.3, ahead of Roccoli at 7.1.

Suddenly Mahias fell and Gradinger just behind him could not avoid his motorcycle on the ground. Lucas started twelfth, just behind Jules Danilo. Mahias had hit the back of Cluzel's bike while accelerating out of the chicane, without apparent damage to Cluzel, who nonetheless found himself eighth.

With 5 laps to go, Krummenacher and Caricasulo were 4.8 ahead of de Rosa, 10.1 over Roccoli and 10.8 over Okubo. Cluzel was 8th at 16.1, Mahias 11th at 24.3 and Danilo 12th at 25.5.

The two Bardahl teammates Evan Bros Krummenacher and Caricasulo were the only ones competing for victory at the end of the race. De Rosa was alone with his MV Agusta 5.7 behind the two Yamahas. Okubo moved to 4th by overtaking Roccoli, at 12.3 with Badovini. Cluzel 8th preceded Mahias 9^e, the two French people being separated by 5 seconds.

Caricasulo took the lead with 2 laps remaining and tried to outrun Krummenacher. But the Swiss came back with the best lap in 1'51.186. Finally Krummenacher took victory ahead of Caricasulo, de Rosa, Okubo and Badovini. The end of the race was signaled by a red flag due to a fall in Turn 18 by Roccoli, hence some changes of positions for the drivers placed beyond Roccoli when he fell. Cluzel was therefore ranked 7th, Mahias 8th and Danilo 12th.

Supersport 600 race results:

Provisional ranking of the Supersport 600 World Championship:

Photos © wsbk.com / Dorna