Bulega triumphs as Manzi stumbles, edging closer to the 2023 WorldSSP title

September 23, 2023

Race 1 at MotorLand Aragon proved to be a pivotal moment in the 2023 World Supersport Championship, as Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) showcased his dominance by leading from the start and consistently extending his lead, ultimately crossing the finish line more than three seconds ahead of his rivals.

Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) experienced a race of ups and downs, initially making progress but eventually succumbing to a last-lap error, which just outside the top 10. Bulega’s stunning victory, combined with Stefano Manzi’s 11th-place finish, allowed him to extend his lead by a significant 80 points to potentially clinch the Championship in Race 2 on Sunday.

In an intense battle for the remaining podium places, Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) emerged as the runner-up after a thrilling contest. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) fought hard to secure third place, demonstrating incredible resilience. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) just narrowly missed out on a podium finish, crossing the line in fourth, a mere two tenths away from the top three. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) held strong to clinch fifth place, with Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in sixth, less than a second adrift from De Rosa.

Bulega will win the title on Sunday if:

He finishes 1st and Manzi finishes 11th or worse OR
He finishes 2nd and Manzi finishes 16th or worse

WorldSSP Race 1 Results
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
2. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +3.581s
3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +4.106s
4. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) +4.306s
5. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +5.830s
6. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +6.763s

WorldSSP Championship standings
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 383 points
2. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 303 points
3. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 256 points

P1 | Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team
“I’m very happy because we did an incredible job. From FP1, I had an incredible feeling with my bike. I can push like I want. I’m enjoying every lap. If you enjoy riding your bike, you are fast, and this is what is happening to me. It’s an incredible feeling. Of course, I think about the Championship now, but I try not to think about it too much because I want to continue to enjoy the races. When it’s time, I will really think about the standings. I have a big gap, but there are a few more races to come. For sure, I am in the best position right now, but we will see.”