The special Ten Kate Racing Yamaha livery enjoyed a successful first race outing at the TT Circuit Assen as Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) claimed his fourth consecutive FIM Supersport World Championship victory after a thrilling three-way battle at the front of the field in Race 1 for the Prosecco DOC Dutch Round.

LIGHTS OUT

Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) got the holeshot into Turn 1 to take the lead but soon found himself down in third place on the opening lap as both Aegerter and Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). As seen before in 2021, the lead group contained plenty of riders all looking to break Aegerter’s winning streak.

After five laps, the lead trio of Aegerter, Oettl and Odendaal were the leading trio and all set fastest laps of the race to start pulling away from the chasing pack, with Aegerter continuing to lead the race despite Odendaal, in third, being the fastest rider of the three. Oettl had been in the lead of the race before falling back behind Aegerter and Odendaal, with the pair running the SCX tyre while Oettl used the SC0.

THREE-WAY BATTLE FOR VICTORY

As the race entered the second half of the race, the lead trio kept extending their lead over Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) in fourth, who was at the front of the chasing pack, although the gaps at the front tended to be a couple of tenths, although on Lap 10 Odendaal had a look at passing Aegerter before the final chicane, with Aegerter able to hold on.

Oettl was dropped by Aegerter and Odendaal as the race went on with Aegerter, riding a special livery for the Ten Kate Racing team, able to withstand the challenge from Odendaal as the Swiss rider extended his Championship lead over the South African, with Aegerter consistently on lap record pace including setting a new record of 1’37.688s. After 18 laps, Aegerter finished three seconds clear of Odendaal with Oettl claiming third.

ROUNDING OUT THE TOP TEN

Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) and Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team) engaged in a battle for fourth place in the closing stages of the race, with Cluzel able to pass the 2019 WorldSSP Champion on the last lap; Krummenacher’s fifth the best result of his 2021 campaign. Gonzalez ended the race in sixth place after losing out to both Cluzel and Krummenacher in the closing stages. Gonzalez has now secured 22 consecutive points finishes in WorldSSP, equalling the third-longest all-time streak and just three away from the longest streak of 25 races, held by Roberto Rolfo. Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) claimed seventh place after a strong race for the Turkish star, with Federico Caricasulo (GMT94 Yamaha) and Sheridan Morais (Wojcik Racing Team) completing the top ten; Morais returning to the Championship in place of Christoffer Bergman.

THE POINTS SCORERS

Peter Sebestyen’s (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) return to the Championship culminated with 11^th place and a points finish, holding off the challenge from Sammarinese rider Luca Bernardi (CM Racing) who came home in 12^th place; today’s race the first time Bernardi has not finished second when Aegerter has claimed victory.

Michel Fabrizio (G.A.P. MOTOZOO Racing by Puccetti) claimed 13^th place as the Italian continues his comeback with Indonesian rider Galang Hendra Pratama (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) in 14^th and Kevin Manfredi (Altogo Racing Team) completing the points with 15^th place and the highest-placed WorldSSP Challenge competitor.

TO NOTE

Leonardo Taccini (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) narrowly missed out on WorldSSP Challenge honours, finishing 16^th and just over a tenth behind Manfredi. Federico Fuligni (VFT Racing) was 17^th with Stephane Frossard (Moto Team Jura Vitesse), Eemeli Lahti (HRP Suzuki), Luigi Montella (Chiodo Moto Racing) and Eduardo Montero Huerta (DK Motorsport) completing the classified runners.

Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) was declared unfit with a left distal tibia fracture following a crash in the Tissot Superpole session, while Shogo Kawasaki (G.A.P. MOTOZOO Racing by Puccetti) crashed in Free Practice 2 and was declared unfit after he was diagnosed with concussion. Pawel Szkopek (Yamaha MS Racing) was the first retirement of the race after the Polish rider crashed his Yamaha machine at Turn 4. Daniel Webb’s (WRP Wepol Racing) return from injury came to a premature end when he came off his bike at Turn 9 on Lap 8, while Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) had a high side crash as he looked to pass Krummenacher at the final chicane; forcing the Finnish rider to retire. Vertti Takala (Kallio Racing) retired from the race on Lap 14 at Turn 11, an incident for which Bernardi was given a Long Lap Penalty, while Mattia Casadei (VFT Racing) was out a lap later. WorldSSP Challenge competitor Maria Herrera (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing) brought her Yamaha machine into the pitlane on Lap 16 of 18 to retire from the race.

The top six following Race 1 in WorldSSP, full results here:

1. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha)
2. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +2.846s
3. Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +8.871s
4. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) +11.159s
5. Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team) +11.276s
6. Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) +11.501s
   Fastest Lap: Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 1'37.688 (New Lap Record)

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