The final race of the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round, Race 2 in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship, was a traditionally unpredictable affair at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with only 0.027s separating the top two at the end of the 12-lap race. The race was won by Italy’s Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) after a thrilling last-lap fight with compatriot Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) in Barcelona.

MAKING HISTORY: Italians lead the way in WorldSSP300

Gennai hit the head of the field on the final lap but Race 1 winner Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) overtook him into Turn 7, before the trio of Gennai, Buis and Vannucci went side-by-side into Turn 10. Gennai and Vannucci came out side by side heading into the penultimate corner before the pair engaged in a race to the line on the final lap of the race, with Buis backing up his Race 1 victory with a second podium of the season.

Gennai leading Vannucci meant Italy claimed their first 1-2 in WorldSSP300 as Gennai claimed his second victory in the Championship as well as his sixth podium. Vannucci now has five podiums to his name in WorldSSP300 while 2020 Champion Buis has 15 podiums in his career in WorldSSP300, putting him second in the all-time list.

NOTHING IN IT: little to separate the top six

Home hero Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) crossed the line in fourth spot as he enjoyed a strong home round and he was just 0.047s ahead of Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) as he finished in fifth place. However, Mogeda was given a post-race penalty to drop one position for irresponsible riding, promoting Perez Gonzalez to fourth. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) was sixth after he led the race around the halfway stage of the 12-lap race with just 0.578s separating the top six riders after 12 laps of racing.

TEN RIDERS, EIGHT TENTHS: Championship leader in P10

Two Brazilian riders finished in seventh and eighth with Enzo Valentim (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) and teammate Humberto Maier finishing just 0.071s behind his teammate; Maier had started from pole position. Jose Manuel Osuna Saez (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) finished in ninth place ahead of Championship leader Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) rounding out the top ten with Svoboda just 0.797s away from Gennai.

TAKING HOME POINTS: finishing Race 2 in the top 15

Indonesia’s Galang Hendra Pratama (Sublime Racing by MS Racing) scored a second points finish in his first round back in the Championship as he took 11^th place, ahead of local rider Julio Garcia (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) in 12^th place. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) took 13^th place ahead of Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) in 14^thplace. Seabright had crossed the line in 13^th but was demoted one place for exceeding track limits on the final lap.Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) who rounded out the points with 15^th.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from WorldSSP300 Race 2

Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) had a difficult race after being given two Long Lap Penalties during the race, before crashing out on Lap 6 at Turn 11. The first was given to him for irresponsible riding while the second was for irresponsible riding during his first Long Lap Penalty. He brought his bike into the pitlane following his crash. He was classified but four laps down on the leader.

Juan Pablo Uriostegui (Team#109 Kawasaki) crashed out of the race on Lap 8 at Turn 4. At the end of Lap 8, Gabriele Mastroluca (Arco Motor University Team) brought his bike into the pits and retired from the race. Shortly after Mastroluca retired, the other two Arco Motor University Team riders crashed with Ruben Bijman continuing, and then retiring shortly after, but Unai Calatayud retiring. The incident was placed under investigation by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards.

Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) had to serve a ride-through penalty during the race which he took on Lap 2, dropping him down the order and he eventually finished in 24^th place. Devis Bergamini (ProGP Racing) was given a double Long Lap Penalty for irresponsible riding in Warm Up and he finished in 22^nd place, while Mattia Martella (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) also had a double Long Lap Penalty for irresponsible riding in Race 1.

Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) did not race after he was injured in a crash in Race 1, with the Italian declared unfit following the crash.

The top six following WorldSSP300 Race 2, full results here:

1. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse)

2. Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) +0.027s

3. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) +0.183s

4. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) +0.332s

5. Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) +0.400s

6. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) +0.578s

Fastest lap: Samuel Di Sora (Kawasaki) – 1’55.821s

Championship standings

1. Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) 69 points

2. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) 57

3. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) 50

4. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) 49

5. Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) 49

6. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) 46

Next up, Misano: watch all the action from Italy using the WorldSBK VideoPass!