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Steeman heads WorldSSP300 FP1 at Most as rain arrives

Friday, 6 August 2021 11:11 GMT

    • Dark clouds led to rainfall as WorldSSP300’s opening session gave them the trickiest conditions of Friday so far

    The 2021 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship fired up at the Autodrom Most in the Czech Republic, as the WorldSBK’s lightweight class took to the track for the first time. Originally scheduled to be the opening session, poor weather earlier in the morning meant that the session was rescheduled for the final FP1 across all classes. As clouds gathered over the new WorldSBK venue and as it began to rain in the closing stages of the session, it was Assen pole-sitter Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) who took top spot as he continues to showcase his strong form, as the positions were locked in with less than ten minutes to go due to the rain shower.

    Steeman was right on the pace in the opening session of the day as he finished on top by just under half-a-second from Championship leader Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki). The Championship-leading Spaniard completed 13 laps and was the fastest rider through the speed trap. Fellow countryman Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing) did his team proud by slotting them inside the top three at their home circuit. Fourth place honours were secured by Koen Meuffels (MTM Kawasaki), whilst fifth place went to home-hero Oliver Konig (Movisio by MIE), as he looks to dazzle in front of his home audience.

    Assen podium finisher Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo) completed the top half-dozen and continued his impressive sequence of performances into the Czech Republic, just over three tenths clear of Victor Rodriguez Nuñez (Accolade Smrz Racing). Next up in eighth place was German Christian Stange (2R Racing), ahead of Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Yamaha Motoxracing) and defending World Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki), with the Dutchman completing the top ten. Second in the Championship Tom Booth-Amos (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) was 11th, whilst there was a notable crash for Dean Berta Viñales (Viñales Racing Team), who took out Eugene McManus (Team#109 Kawasaki) at Turn 17; both riders were on their feet and OK.

    Top six after FP1, full results here:

    1. Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) 1’47.191
    2. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) +0.470s
    3. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing) +0.911s
    4. Koen Meuffels (MTM Kawasaki) +1.059s
    5. Oliver König (Movisio by MIE) +1.132s
    6. Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo) +1.165s

    Watch the 2021 WorldSSP300 drama unfold throughout the weekend with the WorldSBK VideoPass!