On the hottest day of the Thai race weekend, Jules Cluzel and his MV Agusta F3 675 climbs the top step of the podium, winning the second round of WorldSSP Championship.

Pole Position on Saturday and Race on Sunday: Cluzel won everything was possibile to win in this Thai Round. After a good start, the fast French rider found himself in bagarre with Jacobsen, Sofuoglu and then Krummenacher, aggressive and determined opponents, all fighiting till the last corner for the podium. Cluzel, constantly in second position behind Jacobsen, was able to pass the american rider only in the race finale, going to lead a last furious lap, before finally raising his fists to the sky.

Good performance for Lorenzo Zanetti as well. 16th on starting grid because of some little setup troubles, the italian has pushed hard his MV Agusta F3 675 along the 4.554km Chang International Circuit, establishing a very fast pace from mid-race. The rider from Lumezzane ended his comeback in 8th place, catching eight point in WorldSSP Championship Standing.

Jules Cluzel # 16 – I’m very happy because it was a long, hard race but we fought till the last meter and in the end we won. When I saw the two Kawasaki behind me were pushing at their limit, I knew I had to focus only on Jacobsen and so I did. Many thanks to all my team, after last year’s bad luck here in Thailand, I really wanted this victory. We are now third in the championship and hopefully we can replicate this incredibile weekend even in the next race at Aragon.

Lorenzo Zanetti # 87 – It has surely been a difficult weekend, I’ve never started from the 16th on grid. Unfortunately we could not find the right direction since Friday and this terribly affected my grid position. As the light went off I tried to push as much as possible and when I arrived 8th I preferred to get these important points home, avoiding to take other risks. I’m pretty happy because now we know the right direction to take and I hope I will start fighting for the podium again at the next race in Aragon.

More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Motors Europe:

Sofuoglu Second And Krummenacher Fourth In Thai WSS Race

Kenan Sofuoglu scored second place for his first points and first podium of the season after 17 hard laps around the 4.554km Buriram circuit in Thailand today. His team-mate Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) took a close fourth place in the second round of the FIM Supersport World Championship. In the points table Krummenacher still leads with Sofuoglu now fourth.

The hot raceday air temperatures of 36°C meant that the work was hard for both men and machines in a combative race; a race in which experience finally told for Sofuoglu. His second place finish, just 0.812 seconds behind winner Jules Cluzel, came after it looked like he may have to settle for an off podium result.

The four-time world champion reasserted himself in the final stages and went from fourth to second in three laps, holding that position across the line at the end.

Krummenacher, who won first time out in round one with his Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Team, looked bound for a podium again during his first visit to the Chang International Circuit. Randy finally took an important point scoring finish as he held onto the leading group for fourth place, just 1.237 behind the winner.

In the championship standings the 13 points Krummenacher earned for fourth place today keep him in the lead, with 38 points in total, while Sofuoglu is ranked fourth, on 20 points.

Spain is the next stop for the 13-round WSS Championship trail, with Motorland Aragon hosting the next race weekend between 1st and 3rd April.

Kenan Sofuoglu stated: “It was very difficult especially in the beginning of the race where I was losing time. I said to myself not to give up and that we were going to fight and at least make a podium. On the brakes I could come back but I was losing some time. But if we look at that, and consider that we were very close to the winner, it means our overall package is very good. We need to work and we are going to fight. The temperature was high but it was OK, the same for everybody, so there was no big difference.”

Randy Krummenacher stated: “Fourth place and more important points today. The race was quite hard for everybody but I was just not able to take the risks that Kenan did. He did a really good job today. I was for sure able to go faster than Jules and Jacobsen but on the brakes I was just not able to go for that extra risk to pass them. I just said, OK, for the moment I cannot do it. That is a point I have to work on but of course in a race like this, where it is hard, means I learn more than I did in my victory in Australia. So that is quite positive and for sure I can use this experience in Aragon.”

Malaysia’s Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was the next best Kawasaki finisher behind the Sofuoglu and Krummenacher combination, in seventh place. GOELEVEN Kawasaki rider Ondrej Jezek was up to tenth in the race, from 17th on the grid, while Christian Gamarino (GOELEVEN Kawasaki) just missed out on a point for 16th place. Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was 19th and Lachlan Epis (Response RE Team Kawasaki) was 22nd.

More, from a press release issued by Honda World Supersport Team:

Hard-earned podium finish for Jacobsen in spectacular Thai WorldSSP race

Round 2 – Thailand

Chang International Circuit, Thailand

PJ Jacobsen and the Honda WorldSSP Team have taken their maiden podium finish of the season at the end of an enthralling, 17-lap race at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand. With the second round of the season over, the 22-year-old American and Honda move up to second place in the riders’ and manufacturers’ standings, respectively.

Jacobsen got the perfect start off fourth place on the grid aboard his Honda CBR600RR as he dived with great confidence into turn one to take the lead. He then pushed hard to maintain his position, despite some fierce competition from Cluzel. In the closing stages of the race, Jacobsen did his utmost to stay at the front of the field, eventually running slightly wide at turn five on the penultimate lap. He then found himself in the middle of the factory Kawasaki duo of Sofuoglu and Krummenacher, exchanging positions with the reigning Champion much to the crowd’s delight.

The three riders crossed the line within four tenths of a second of each other, with Jacobsen claiming third place at the chequered flag.

The next round of the 2016 FIM Supersport World Championship takes place at MotorLand Aragón circuit in Spain on April 1-3.

Patrick Jacobsen 2

3rd

I didn’t want to walk out of here with a third place trophy, I wanted to win. We were able to lead almost the entire race but at the very end it was really hard to stop and get the bike turning, so I could not attack as hard as I’d wanted to. I’m happy with second place in the standings and we’ll make sure to find that extra bit for Aragon in order to give our very best up to the very last corner.

Pieter Breddels

Technical Manager

In this morning’s warm up we tried few changes to the bike that worked out pretty well. PJ’s fastest lap was clearly a good sign for the race. He had an incredible start from fourth place and rode a heroic race, refusing to give up even in the last corners, when it was clear that he had some difficulties. Of course we all wanted to win, especially after leading for the vast majority of the race, but we’re happy with the improvements and with the second place in the championship.

More, from a press release issued by K-Tech Suspension:

Team Honda World Super Sport Claim Their First Podium of 2016.

The second-round of the World Super Sport race of 2016 was held yesterday at the Chang International Circuit, with PJ Jacobsen claiming third place after a heroic battle for the win throughout the spectacular 17-lap race.

It was PJ Jacobsen who took the early lead, leaving the chasing pack lead by Jules Cluzel to hunt his advantage down with the American over a second clear in the initial stages. With twelve laps to go, Cluzel began to eat into the lead and found himself behind the Honda rider and looking for a way through. Ten laps to go, the top four riders of Jacobsen, Cluzel, Sofuoglu and Krummenacher found themselves in a four way fight. With a lap and a half to go, Cluzel made his way through on Jacobsen for the lead due to a mistake from PJ running wide into turn 6. PJ continued his rhythm and got back onto the leading riders but was unable to make a pass before the finish line. with the next race back in Europe at Motor Land Aragon the team have gathered some valuable data using the DDS cartridge and DDS Pro rear shock.

A big congratulation to the Honda Team for there hard work over the first 2 rounds of the World Championship.

PJ Jacobsen: “I didn’t want to walk out of here with a third place trophy, I wanted to win. We were able to lead almost the entire race but at the very end it was really hard to stop and get the bike turning, so I could not attack as hard as I’d wanted to. I’m happy with second place in the standings and we’ll make sure to find that extra bit for Aragon in order to give our very best up to the very last corner”.

?????Ken Summerton, K-Tech: “This was a fantastic race and a flying start from PJ to lead the pack into turn 1. He showed throughout the 17 laps what a great rider he is and just a small mistake with 2 laps to go that allowed Jules Cluzel and Kenan Sofuoglu to pass i am confident he would of been standing on the top spot on the podium. It is an honour to be working with such a great and professional team like Ten-Kate and again congratulate their hard work for preparing such a competitive motorcycle”.

Local rider Ratthapong Wilairot (A.P Honda Racing Thailand) recorded the fastest lap with a 1’38.618 and top of the time sheets on the opening day of action and qualified seventh but unfortunately crashed out in turn five on lap two pushing hard to get on the back of the leading group. A.P Honda Racing Team also use a Ten Kate Prepared machine equipped with the latest DDS Cartridge kit and DDS Pro rear shock.

World Supersport returns in three weeks at Motorland Aragon on the 1-3 April. The Ten Kate Honda World Supersport CBR600RR is fitted with the latest DDS PRO shock, DDS cartridge kits and steering damper, which is available through all K-Tech dealers.

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