The FIM Supersport World Championship visit to the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” with two incredible battles for victory during the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, with Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. Yamaha WorldSSP Team) coming close to victory on home soil in Race 1 after crossing the line first before being demoted one place on the final lap.

Italian rider Baldassarri secured a front row start with third in Saturday’s Tissot Superpole session, lapping around four tenths down on title rival and polesitter Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha). It marked Baldassarri’s best Superpole result since his pole position at the season-opening Aragon Round and his second front-row start in WorldSSP.

In Race 1, Baldassarri was running third for 16 of the 18-lap race before the crucial moments of the race came on Lap 17. With Aegerter passing long-time race leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) at the start of Lap 17, Baldassarri had to follow him through and did so in style, before passing Aegerter on the final lap at Turn 2. He resisted Aegerter’s pressure throughout the final lap but Baldassarri was demoted one place for exceeding track limits on the final lap on the exit of Turn 15.

Reacting to Race 1’s rollercoaster, Baldassarri said: “I was coming from behind, and Domi and the Ducati were very strong. First of all, Bulega escaped and did has rhythm in the first part of the race. I thought he was escaping but, in the end, Domi caught him in the middle of the race. I made some mistakes, so I was behind and lost time. Then I was back, and I managed very well the last two laps. Very happy about the race and the teamwork. I don’t know why, before the last corner, I exceeded the track limits. I have to check the images to not repeat it in Race 2.”

Race 2 was another dramatic affair as Baldassarri and Aegerter once again battled it out for victory, with the pair separated by less than four tenths at the end of the race. Baldassarri, in the reverse of Race 1 to a certain extent, led for all but two laps of 18 with Aegerter able to overhaul the Italian on Lap 17 to claim his seventh consecutive victory in WorldSSP.

Discussing Race 2, Baldassarri said: “I was hoping to, and I was very close to, winning again. Congratulations to Domi, we had a great battle until the end. We made no mistakes, and then when I started making mistakes, Domi beat me. It was good but these mistakes were from downshifting problems. The team this weekend did a very good job so it’s not their problem. It started five laps from the end.”

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