[SSP300] Aragon, J2, qualifications: Manuel Gonzalez in pole position

In the Supersport 300 World Championship, for the first event of the year, the fifty entrants were divided in two for qualifying, with a final catch-up event.

In Group A, it was Koen Meuffels (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team), winner of the 2018 edition at MotorLand Aragón, who set the best time in 2'08.099. The young Dutchman was ahead of another KTM, that of the German Jan-Ole Jahnig (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team). Galang Hendra Pratama (Semakin Di Depan Biblion Motoxracing) completed the Top 3 ahead of Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) and Marc Bayen Luna (Kawasaki GP Project), replacement driver. Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP) was in eighth place, 1.7s behind the benchmark set by Meuffels.

In the second group, Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team) was credited with the best time, less than three tenths from the lap record, ahead of his teammate Maximilian Kappler (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) and Scott Deroue (Kawasaki Motorsport), while that the French Andy Verdoïa (BCD Yamaha MS Racing) was fourth.

Ana Carrasco wants to retain her world title

According to reigning champion Ana Carrasco, “ The pre-season tests went pretty well, I was able to ride a lot », Explains the one, who spent a week on the Jerez circuit, the final warm-up before Aragón. Since September, his team has also carried out tests in Almeria and Motorland. “ We are preparing much better than before. My feelings are good, we were fast on all the tracks and we improved our pace compared to last year, so I would say we are ready for the first race. »

 “I can't wait to start the season. adds Carrasco. The winter seemed too long, so many months without races. We have worked hard since January and there have been a lot of changes. We are delighted to finally arrive at the first meeting and to be able to get an idea of ​​our level. »

The best time in free practice on Saturday morning went to Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team), ahead of Koen Meuffels (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team), Frenchman Andy Verdoïa (BCD Yamaha MS Racing), Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team), Jan -Ole Jahnig (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team), Maximilian Kappler (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) and Galang Hendra Pratama (Semakin Di Depan Biblion Motoxracing).

French Mateo Pedeneau (Team MHP Racing-Patrick Pons) ranked eighth ahead of his compatriot Hugo de Cancellis (Team Trasimeno). Enzo DeLaVega (Kawasaki – Team Flembbo) was twentieth and Joseph Forray (Prodina IRCOS Kawasaki) twenty-second.

Photo above: Manuel Gonzalez

During the Group A superpole, the fastest was Manuel Gonzalez (ParkinGO Team) with a superb time of 2'06.938 ahead of Galang Hendra Pratama (Semakin Di Depan Biblion Motoxracing) by only 0.020 seconds. French Hugo De Cancellis (Team Trasimeno) will also start from the first row, third in Group A.

Then on the second row we found Marc Luna Bayen (Kawasaki GP Project) in fourth position, ahead of the leader of group B, Andy Verdoïa (BCD Yamaha MS Racing), a good qualification for the 16-year-old rider for the fourth race of his career in WorldSSP300. Guillem Erill (Deza – Box 77 Racing) completed the second row. Mateo Pedeneau – (Team MHP Racing) finished seventh and Enzo de la Vega ranked seventeenth.

Qualification ranking:

Reference times:

Test record: 2'07.938 by Mika Perez (Kawasaki) in 2018

Lap record: 2'08.510 by Koen Meuffels (KTM) in 2018

Video: Defending champion Ana Carrasco is ready with Team Provec

Video: Stefie Naud interviewed by Rémy Tissier

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