The wonderkid from Madrid: Manuel González, 2019 WorldSSP300 Champion
17-year-old prodigy seals title win with a race to spare
Manuel González (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) has asserted himself as one of the most exciting young riders in motorcycling racing by winning the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship with one round to go, after taking 2nd place in Magny-Cours in a hair-raising battle throughout the race.
The ParkinGO Team rider follows in the footsteps of Marc García and Ana Carrasco, 2017 & 2018 champions respectively, and extends the Spanish domination of the feeder series. Unlike his compatriots, however, González has managed to avoid any last-second drama by securing the title with ease, in a season that has established the teenager as one to watch inside the WorldSBK paddock.
Turning seventeen just last August, González’s staggering precocity has led him to shatter record after record on course to his maiden title win. His path to World Supersport 300 glory began in 2017 when he participated in the final race of the season as a wildcard, becoming the second youngest starter that season. The soon-to-be European Talent Cup champion qualified in a brilliant sixth and was amongst the leading riders when a technical issue forced him to enter pit-lane early on.
It was a first – if brief – glimpse into the teenager’s talents. Many more examples were to follow in 2018 as González joined the series full-time on a Yamaha YZF-R3. After a somewhat troubled start, with three no-scores inside the opening five races and a best result of ninth, he sprang to life in the last three rounds with consecutive third-place finishes. The first of those, at Misano, made him the youngest rider to feature on a WorldSSP300 podium, one month before his 16th birthday.
González was recruited by Kawasaki ParkinGO for his sophomore season, switching machinery in the process. This proved to be a particularly inspired move: on his debut at MotorLand Aragon, he took his first pole position, before romping to a 0.058s win over Hugo De Cancellis and shattering García’s record as the youngest WorldSSP300 race winner by a full ten months.
History repeated itself seven days later at Assen. Second on the grid, the teenager set himself up beautifully in the final lap, surging from the back of the leading group and beating homeboy Scott Deroue in another close finish to take win number two. One week, 50 points: perfection.
The cancellation of the Imola race led the WorldSSP300 grid into back-to-back races at Jerez, the same venue that witnessed González’s first steps in the series less than two years before. Fourth at the flag in Race 1 behind previous champions Garcia and Carrasco as well as Deroue, the Spaniard was not going to take their challenge lying down. Smartening up for the final lap of Race 2, González bossed his way into the lead at the final turn and stole win number three. The higher the stakes rose, the more he upped his game.
Carrasco would win next time around in Misano, however a cool second from González ensured that he would make it to the summer break with a cozy double-digit buffer, even in the worst-case scenario that immediately followed. The championship leader damaged his shoulder on a wet track at Donington Park, falling awkwardly before his own Kawasaki dived on top of him. González suffered his first no-score of the season – yet it was one that barely rattled the Spaniard, as none of his three closest contenders managed to capitalise on his misfortune.
Two months down the line, González faced his first shot at world championship glory. It failed to materialise there, yet he left the Portuguese rollercoaster as champion in all but name, after picking up second behind Deroue. Twelve points over two rounds would be enough – González did it in one, at Magny-Cours.
Previous WorldSSP300 champions needed an eleventh-hour surge to write their names into WorldSBK history. Not ‘Manugas’. He has passed every test with flying colours and can now sit back and enjoy the final event in Qatar devoid of any pressure, while he patiently awaits the new chapter of what promises to be an illustrious career.
Congratulate González on social media using the hashtag #GASChamp
Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team)
“It has been almost a perfect season. We were on the podium almost in every race this year, we got several wins, and we did only one zero. I don’t have words to describe this. It has been incredible! Thanks to all my family, for all the sacrifices that we did and thanks to all the people that were there for me, my team, Kawasaki. Thank you so much!”.
WorldSSP300 Race at Magny Cours
1. Ana Carrasco Kawasaki
2. Manuel Gonzalez Kawasaki +0.233
3. Scott Deroue Kawasaki +0.430
WorldSSP300 Championship Standings Pirelli French Round
1. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) Kawasaki (148 points)
2. Ana Carrasco (ESP) Kawasaki (106 points)
3. Scott Deroue (NED) Kawasaki (106 points)
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Gonzalez The Champion After Kawasaki Clean Sweep
Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGo Team) became the youngest rider ever to win an FIM Roadracing World title after finishing second to 2018’s history maker Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec) in the 12-lap Magny Cours WorldSSP300 race. The only other potential champion pre-Magny Cours, Scott Deroue (Kawasaki Motoport), was third in a close fought race. All three top Kawasaki Ninja 400 riders covered by just 0.430 seconds at the flag.
The race was held in dry and warm conditions for the time of year and the top three riders enjoyed the fight at the penultimate round of the season. Deroue had started from pole, Carrasco from second grid spot but Gonzalez was only 14th on the grid and had to make up early ground on his rivals.
The 4.411km Magny Cours circuit features many types of corners but it is characterised strongly by braking areas, which allow many opportunities for passing – and defending – track position. Gonzalez picked off his opponents and was ninth on lap one, fourth on lap two and in a podium position as early as lap three.
Deroue and Carrasco were in the leading group throughout, with Scott setting a new class lap record of 1’54.065 on lap 11 as he tried to get into winning contention.
After winning three races in the early season Gonzalez just needed to keep pace with his two Kawasaki rivals to make his championship safe but the 17-year-old pushed to the end and scored his sixth top three finish in seven races so far.
Carrasco’s win puts her out front alone again in terms of WorldSSP300 class race wins, with five over her short but successful career in this category.
Behind the podium dramas and decisive rides Kawasaki riders dominated the top ten, with Livio Loi (2R Racing Team Kawasaki), Bruno Ieraci (Kawasaki GP Project) and Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) filling the finishing spots from sixth to eighth – and Nick Kalinin (Nutec – RT Motorsports by SKM) taking the final top ten place. Three more Kawasaki riders scored championship points of some kind today.
As the other WorldSBK classes head to Argentina next, the top WorldSSP300 riders have a final round at Losail in Qatar, with raceday on 26th October.
Manuel Gonzalez, stated: “The race was good and I knew on the last lap that the group was a four, so I only had to finish in this group. But I tried to finish on the podium because it is always nicer to finish there and see yourself up on the podium. I tried in the last corner to overtake Verdoia and Deroue and I have to be happy because I was near the top in most of the races; only one zero score in Donington. I had some wins and some podiums so I am very happy with my season.”
Ana Carrasco, stated: “I felt very strong in wet and dry conditions and I was ready for the race. I knew that I could fight for the victory but I knew it would be not easy too, because it was windier than the rest of the weekend. The bike was not working in the same way. I pushed with everything I had and I am very happy to achieve another victory this season. We are going in a good way and it was another race win for us but it was shame to lose the championship here, in a place I won it last season. But Manuel had quite a perfect season so he deserves to win the championship this year.”
Scott Deroue, stated: “To be honest I was a quite difficult race because Ana was setting such a good pace. I tried to follow but it was very hard and sometimes there was a small gap and I had to close that gap again. In the end it worked out because I was there near the end. On the straight I had to brake later before the hairpin, and with three riders in front of me it was difficult to do. I got into second place but three corners from the end I nearly lost the front. My exit was not so good so Manuel passed me on the straight but I nearly passed him back before the last corner. It did not work out but third is OK, so I am happy.”