WSBK Supersport Barcelona Race 2: Stefano Manzi the smartest, Lucas Mahias on the podium!

The Superpole Supersport of the World Championship World SBK in Barcelona promised us interesting races, and the first one did not disappoint us, but it is enough to look at the classification of the second to notice that the first two drivers, Stefano Manzi and Marcel Schrötter, held there in 86 thousandths of a second. That says it all…

But let's start at the beginning. It was an overcast sky and a temperature of 15° which welcomed the 34 riders in the intermediate category of the championship of motorcycles derived from the series, on a starting grid developed from the Superpole.

At the start of the 18 laps, like Saturday, Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) maintains the advantage of its pole position then is quickly attacked by Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), the latter taking the advantage on the second lap at the end of the straight. Adrian Huertas, hampered by the maneuver of a double overtaking, falls back to fourth place, behind Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha).

A straight line later, Adrian Huertas takes the lead again, taking the Frenchman behind him. We then have Adrian Huertas, Lucas Mahias, Can Öncü, Marcel Schrötter (MV Agusta Reparto Corsica), Stefano manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing), Yari Montella et Valentine Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) in this order, the two leading men managing to open up a small gap of around 5 tenths over the rest of the peloton.

The French spectators, kept in suspense, began to cross their fingers that the 2017 Supersport world champion would attempt an attack on the Spaniard, but the red flags were waved 12 laps from the finish, following the rookie's fall. Polish Piotr Biesiekirski (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) at turn 1.

The final debates were therefore held over a distance reduced to 6 laps, with a new starting grid formed according to the classification of the interrupted event.

Yari Montella jumps from the second row and takes the lead, first followed by Adrian Huertas and Stefano manzi one lap later, until the #99 Ducati made the powder speak again at the end of the straight with a double overtake.

The French public stands up in front of the screens 4 rounds from the checkered flag, when Luca Mahias tries in turn and succeeds in a double overtaking in the same place!

Unfortunately, the very long straight downhill stretch of the Barcelona-Catalonia circuit is merciless for the leader, and then it's Yari Montella who takes command.

Stefano manzi benefits from the same phenomenon a lap later, before braking so hard that it forces Adrian Huertas, surprised, to fall into the gravel.

However, everything is not over for the Ten Kate pilot, Marcel Schrötter seizing the leadership for a few turns before the last aspiration in a straight line which will prove decisive.
Big odds for this podium without Ducati!

Valentine Debise finished very close, 5th to 7 tenth, but was never really able to fight for the podium.

Next event at Assen on the weekend of April 21.

In the championship:

Results of Race 2 of Supersport in Barcelona:

Photo credits and classification: Worldsbk.com