WSBK Supersport Phillip Island Superpole: Stefano Manzi resists the stress of a session reduced to the last 5 minutes…

Like the Superbikes where the reigning world champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) appears for the moment as the big favorite, the 2023 season of the FIM Supersport World Championship seems to be under the total domination of Nicholas Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) who dominated all winter tests at Jerez, Portimão and Phillip Island.

Certainly, for 79 thousandths the official Ducati had to bow yesterday morning in FP1 to the one who appears to be his main opponent, Stefano manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha), but his reaction was not long in coming in the afternoon, with more than 5 tenths ahead of the Ten Kate Yamaha rider.

Manzi – Bulega ou Bulega – Manzi, we will see what happens during this 20-minute Superpole, unless Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki), Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team), Nicholas Spinelli (VFT Racing Yamaha), Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Marcel Schrötter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) or Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team), or even Bayliss oils (D34G Racing), Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) and Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), manage to interfere in this two-person game. But when we see the differences, we will have to roll up our sleeves…

 

 

The only French representative in this category dominated by the Italians, Valentine Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) appears in the Top 10 in the middle of all these beautiful people, which is a completely promising performance for his first full-time season in Supersport, on a circuit where the Albigensian has not set foot since 2012.

 

 

The sky is overcast to host this 20-minute qualifying session, with temperatures of 25° in the air and 26° on the asphalt, but the downpour which disrupted FP3 of the Superbikes this morning seems to be making small ones and the track is damp again, neither dry nor really wet despite the drops of rain which quickly appear.

 

 

When the red lights go out, Bayliss oils rushes ahead Stefano manzi while Niki Tuuli et Valentine Debise stay two more minutes in their box.

Stefano manzi entered the first reference in 1'38.057, then Glenn van Straalen takes the best in 1'37.696.

 

 

After a very short first run, a few drivers including Valentine Debise start again on slicks while the "change of grip" flags are now waved... The French driver tries to qualify while, trapped by the conditions, he is six seconds behind the fastest.

Four minutes from the checkered flag, the track improves and most of the drivers come out of their boxes. Niki Tuuli registered 1'35.908 while Valentin Debise jumped to second provisional position.

 

 

There are two minutes left and Stefano manzi takes the best in 1'34.111. Nicholas Bulega replies in 1'33.727 but Yari Montella crosses the line in 1'33.588. It's not over and the two strong men from the tests are still improving, Nicholas Bulega scoring 1'33.090 before being surpassed by Can Öncü in 1'33.068.

In the last round, Stefano manzi concludes with a 1'32.854 which secures him pole position in front Can Öncü et Yari Montella.

 

Valentine Debise will finally start from the fourth row, at the end of a qualifying session that was particularly nerve-wracking for everyone.

 

 

WorldSBK Supersport Superpole results at Phillip Island:

Classification credit: WorldSBK.com