A fantastic Race 1 in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship class at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours saw Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team) take the first victory of his career. It was a difficult race in mixed conditions for the WorldSSP300 riders at the Motul French Round and Calatayud kept cool to come out on top in a five rider battle on the final lap, with brothers Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse) and Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) making history for Indonesia, in second and third, as Mahendra took the championship lead.

FIVE RIDER BATTLE: drama on the last lap

Calatayud’s winning margin over Mahendra was finally 0.77s, but it was an exciting fight for the win on the last lap, as the Spaniard’s late manoeuvre gave him a deserved maiden victory. Mahendra and Pratama made it a double podium result for Indonesia for the first time ever, whilst it was also an all Yamaha lock-out in the top three. Also playing their parts in an enthralling race were double World Champion Jeffrey Buis (KTM Freudenberg-Paligo Racing) and Humberto Maier (MS Racing), who were ultimately fourth and fifth respectively.

BUIS & MAIER: playing their part in the spectacle

Buis had held the early race lead, but dropped back mid race, storming forwards again to take the lead at the start of the final lap, before an error cost him a podium finish. Maier rode superbly from the sixth row on the grid making his way through the pack to join the action at the head of the race and with four laps to go he was controlling the race in the lead, only to miss out on a rostrum finish in the late drama.

IGLESIAS IN SEVENTH: title-race shake-up

Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PL Performances) finished in sixth place, 1.519s down on winner Calatayud, whilst title contender Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) was seventh. The top ten was completed by Julio Garcia (KOVE Racing Team), Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) and Phillip Tonn (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing)

VENEMAN OUT OF THE POINTS: tough day for the Dutchman

The standings leader before the race Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) ended up in P16, after crashing on the first lap, with Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) having to take avoiding action and Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) also crashing in the incident. It was a difficult afternoon for Marc Garcia as a technical issue on the sighting lap meant he had started from the back of the grid, though he did manage to pick up two points in 14^th. Amongst those who also suffered crashes in the treacherous conditions were Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) who went down on lap 2, Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) who crashed at the end of the third lap and Gustavo Manso (AD78 FIM LA by MS Racing) who crashed out of the points at Turn 8 with 4 laps to go.

The top six from WorldSSP300 Race 1, full results here:

1. Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team)

2. Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) +0.770s

3. Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) +1.022s

4. Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing) +1.192s

5. Humberto Maier (MS Racing) +1.309s

6. Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PL Performances) +1.519s

Fastest lap: Unai Calatayud, Yamaha – 2’04.139s

Make sure you tune in for Race 2 on Sunday at 12:45 Local Time (UTC +1), using the WorldSBK VideoPass - NOW HALF PRICE!