Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) emerged victorious in Race 2 of the FIM Supersport World Championship, narrowly defeating newly-crowned champion Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) by a mere 0.084 seconds. The battle between Championship two two lived up to the hype as they fought fiercely for the win on the final lap.
The battle for supremacy began with Bulega securing the holeshot, but his lead was short-lived as Manzi overtook him at Turn 5 on Lap 3, surging into the lead. The race took another dramatic turn when Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) raced past Bulega at Turn 1 on Lap 5, relegating the Champion to third. Montella displayed remarkable pace, but a slip on Lap 16 allowed Bulega to seize an opportunity and challenge Manzi for victory. The final lap saw a breathtaking exchange of positions between the two. Although Bulega briefly took the lead at Turn 1, Manzi countered with a spectacular move through Turn 9 to regain control and claim the race win, triumphing by the slimmest of margins.
Manzi’s perfectly timed moves on the last lap claimed his 5th WorldSSP victory and halted Bulega’s impressive winning streak of five consecutive races. Manzi’s win means he secured his second place in the Championship standings.
Meanwhile, Yari Montella secured a well-deserved third place. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) secured a commendable fourth place, firmly establishing his position as the third-ranked rider in the World Championship standings. Following closely in fifth was Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team), while Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) displayed remarkable resilience, bouncing back from a Race 1 crash to secure a solid sixth-place finish.
WorldSSP Race 2 Results
1. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.084s
3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +3.278s
4. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +6.300s
5. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) +7.905s
6. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) +9.427s
WorldSSP Championship standings
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 453 points
2. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 368 points
3. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 293 points
P1 | Stefano Manzi | Ten Kate Racing Yamaha
“It was a fantastic race. We had a great race start, me and all the front row. The rhythm of the race was faster than yesterday, I think. I could close the gap, and I was battling at the front, then I could lead the race, and I started to think that I was fast enough to win. In the end, it was a hard fight in the last lap with Bulega. Normally, when I fight in the last lap, I win. And today it happened again! Bulega overtook me on the straight on the last lap, and I thought that it was over, but then he missed a bit the exit of Turn 1, so I could go inside and stay tight. But in sector two, he was faster than me, and I was expecting that he would overtake me there. But then I saw a little space in Turn 10-11, and I thought ‘it’s now or never.’ I could overtake and closed all the doors in the last corners to take the win. I hope to also enjoy the two races in Jerez and finish the season well.”
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