FIM Supersport World Championship

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit

Victoria, Australia

February 26, 2017

Re-Started Race Results (All on Pirelli tires):

1. Roberto Rolfo, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), 10 laps, Total Race Time 15:56.217, Best Lap Time 1:34.379

2. Lucas Mahias, France (Yam YZF-R6), -0.001 second, 1:34.654

3. Anthony West, Australia (Yam YZF-R6), -1.544 seconds, 1:34.557

4. Kyle Ryde, UK (Kaw ZX-6R), -1.679, 1:34.565

5. Niki Tuuli, Finland (Yam YZF-R6), -1.727, 1:34.723

6. PJ Jacobsen, USA (MV Agusta F3 675), -5.237, ran off track, 1:33.782

7. Aiden Wagner, Australia (Hon CBR600RR), -5.387, 1:34.666

8. Kazuki Watanabe, Japan (Kaw Zx-6R), -6.610, 1:34.944

9. Nacho Calero, Spain (Kaw ZX-6R), -8.057, 1:34.095

10. Lachlan Epis, Australia (Kaw ZX-6R), -8.309, 1:35.208

11. Sheridan Morais, South Africa (Yam YZF-R6), -10.264, 1:35.105

12. Zulfahmi Khairuddin, Malaysia (Kaw ZX-6R), -11.579, 1:34.823

13. Alex Baldolini, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), -14.148, 1:34.413

14. Michael Canducci, Italy (Kaw ZX-6R), -23.247, 1:35.065

15. Federico Caricasulo, Italy (Yam YZF-R6), -1 lap, DNF, crash, 1:34.665

16. Jules Cluzel, France (Hon CBR600RR), -1 lap, DNF, crash, 1:34.582

17. Stefan Hill, UK (Tri Daytona 675R), -4 laps, DNF, mechanical, 1:36.903

18. Davide Pizzoli, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), -7 laps, DNF, crash, 1:38.321

19. Luke Stapleford, UK (Tri Daytona 675R), -8 laps, DNF, mechanical, 1:35.150

20. Kyle Smith, UK (Hon CBR600RR), -9 laps, DNF, crash, no lap time recorded

21. Gino Rea, UK (Kaw ZX-6R), DNS

22. Robin Mulhauser, Switerzland (Hon CBR600RR), DNS

23. Christian Gamarino, Italy (Hon CBR600RR), DNS

24. Hikari Okubo, Japan (Hon CBR600RR), DNS

More, from a press release issued by Dorna WSBK Press Office:

WorldSSP: Rolfo clinches victory in sensational show

Opening race goes down to the wire

In the closest ever finish the class has seen, the first WorldSSP race of the year at the Yamaha Finance Australian Round brought immense levels of drama. With Roberto Rolfo (Team Factory Vamag) emerging victorious as he beat Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) by just +0.001s across the line, with Anthony West (West Racing) also on the podium.

In a shortened and restarted 10-lap race – after an earlier red flag – Rolfo held his nerve on the finish straight to edge Mahias out by the narrowest of margins over the Phillip Island finish line. It was later announced the Frenchman was handed a one second penalty following the last lap tussle, but he kept hold of his second position.

There was last lap drama as Jules Cluzel (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) and Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) had a spectacular collision at MG when both were in contention for victory, with another front runner Alex Baldolini (Race Department ATK#25) also suffering and falling back to finish 13th.

Veteran rider West took a popular third place as a wild card, with Kyle Ryde (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Niki Tuuli (Kallio Racing) also in the top five.

Pole man PJ Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) crossed the line sixth after a hectic afternoon for him, with the top ten completed by Aiden Wagner (GEMAR Team Lorini), Kazuki Watanabe (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven), Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing).

The original race had been red flagged after a big crash for Robin Mulhauser (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) at turn 6, with Gino Rea (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) also crashing out when there were 13 laps of the scheduled 15 to go.

The restarted race over 10 laps gave Baldolini and Jacobsen a second chance, with Baldolini having crashed and Jacobsen having dropped back through the field with an apparent technical issue just before the red flag.

But it was not Jacobsen’s day as the American rider ran off track at turn 10 early in the restarted race and eventually finished five seconds back from the front group in sixth.

Davide Pizzoli (Race Department ATK#25) crashed out of the shortened rerun, with DNFs also recorded by Stefan Hill (Profile Racing), Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing) and Kyle Smith (GEMAR Team Lorini)

Defending champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was absent due to a pre-season hand injury which means he will miss the opening two rounds of the 2017 championship, the Turkish rider looking to come back in style early in April at MotorLand Aragon in Round 3.

Before then the WorldSSP riders will be back in action at the second round of the season, the Motul Thai Round, over the 10th-12th March weekend.

P1. Roberto Rolfo – Team Factory Vamag

“It was fantastic to win here in Phillip Island and for the first time in Supersport, I am really happy. The work from the team was unbelievable all weekend and over the winter, I love this bike and last year I had many problems. To start the new season this way is one of the best things that can happen in my case.”

More, from a press release issued by CIA Landlord Insurance Honda:

CIA Landlord Insurance Honda riders Robin Mulhauser and Jules Cluzel both crashed out of the incident packed opening round of the World Supersport Championship at Philip Island today.

Cluzel was comfortably leading the already shortened race after a text book start when Mulhauser highsided on the second lap at turn six, with the resulting debris on the track causing the race to be red flagged.

The re-started ten lap sprint race saw another impressive start from Cluzel. He was leading the frenetic pack on lap seven when he ran wide and moved back to fifth place. The CIA Landlord Insurance Honda CBR600RR looked strong as Cluzel was fighting his way again to the front with the podium in sight when he was clipped by the out of control Caricasulo, launching Cluzel spectacularly out of the race at turn ten on the final lap of the demanding Philip Island circuit.

CIA Landlord Insurance Honda Team Manager Simon Buckmaster said: “Racing can be cruel sometimes. It’s a real shame as our bikes and riders have been so strong all weekend. Jules was looking really comfortable but unfortunately a big error by Caricasulo has cost us the win. Jules was taken to the medical centre and will now go to the hospital in Melbourne for further examinations to determine whether or not he will be fit to race at the next round in Thailand. Robin was going well in the top ten before his crash. Fortunately, he is unhurt but his bike is a complete write off. Hikari underwent successful surgery for his broken collarbone today and we are optimistic that he will be back to full fitness for Thailand.”

More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:

Fighting Fourth For Ryde At Round One

Kyle Ryde (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) showed all his spirit and talent during a challenging day for the WorldSSP riders at Phillip Island. Ryde finished fourth in what was eventually only a ten-lap FIM Supersport World Championship race.

After a red flag due to another rider’s crash that stopped the first attempted running of the WorldSSP race, while Ryde was in a strong position up front, the final race was cut to 10 laps. It had already been reduced to 15 laps from its scheduled 18-lap duration at the start of the race weekend.

Kyle, only 19-years-old and running without his regular team-mate Kenan Sofuoglu alongside while the Turkish star recovers from surgery at home, kept his cool and pace in the final 10-lap sprint, taking away 13 points for fourth place.

Ryde felt he could have made an even better finish had the red flag not appeared in the first running, as he had worked hard on a full race strategy, but in the first regular weekend with his Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team fourth place was much more than many more established championship contenders took away.

Next up for Kyle is the second round of the championship at Buriram in Thailand, two weeks from now.

Kyle Ryde, stated: “The main thing today is that I got fourth place and kicked off the season with 13 points. I was a bit gutted that the red flag came out in the first part because it was pretty easy staying in second place and saving my tyre. Once I went back to seventh in the final running of the race they were all going crazy and I got punted wide twice at MG corner. I just thought if I stayed behind them something would happen and on the last lap something did; two riders fell and went out of the running. I have made a big step forward and I am riding around with the fast group. It was a positive, very positive, day. Even for Kenan’s sake, two of the main contenders dropped points at the opening round. Now we will roll onto Thailand and try to do the same again there.”

Kazuki Watanabe (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) was eighth today, Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) ninth and Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing Kawasaki) tenth.

Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) scored points in 12th place. Michael Canducci (Puccetti Racing Junior Team FMI Kawasaki) earned 14th place in the re-run race, the last rider to finish after so many falls and retirements were recorded. Gino Rea (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) was forced out by another riders’ crash. 

More, from a press release issued by MV Agusta:

TEAM MV AGUSTA REPARTO CORSE SECURES A DOUBLE TOP 6 IN WORLDSBK AND WORLDSSP CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING 

The final races of the first round of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship 2017 took place today at the Phillip Island circuit, in Australia. Team MV Agusta Reparto Corse has concluded this first round with Leon Camier closing 8th in WorldSBK Race2 and Patrick Jacobsen securing the 6th position in WorldSSP, struggling with a very unlucky race.

WorldSBK Race 2

In this morning’s Warm Up Leon Camier set the 3rd time in WorldSBK timesheet, less than 0.4s from the World Champion Jonathan Rea, in perfect tune on his MV Agusta F4 RC. In Race 2 – according to the new regulation – the 30-years old British rider started from the 2nd position by virtue of the 5th place in Race 1, but lost several positions in the early laps and put on a tight battle for the top 10. At the end of the day, Camier crossed the finish line in 8th place and secured the 6th place in Championship Standings.

WorldSSP Race

The first stage of the WorldSSP race sees Jacobsen struggling with an electronic problem on the second lap that forced him to give up the lead position. Because of a crash, the race has been interrupted by red flag on lap 2 and PJ could start again from pole position. When the lights went out for the second time, the American lost a few positions and the battle with the riders behind pushed him into the gravel at turn 10, falling in 16th position. Thus begins an incredible comeback that brings PJ to set the best lap of the race (1’33.782) before closing in 6th final position and securing 10 points in Overall Standing.

Team MV Agusta Reparto Corse will be back on March 10-12, in Buriram (Thailand), at the Chang International Circuit, for the second round of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.

Leon Camier #2 WorldSBK Rider – To be honest we were expecting a more difficult race than yesterday, with everyone pushing hard from the beginning. Maybe we made a little mistake with the chassis but now we know which direction we need to go with the setting. I am confident we can make some good progress in Thailand over the next two weeks and then we can go to Europe, where tracks suits us a little bit more.

Patrick Jacobsen #99 WorldSSP Rider – Honestly, today was a lucky and unlucky day at the same time. It was very difficult because I was in P1 all the weekend and I wanted to win the race so badly. In the end, the important thing is we get some good points. I want to thanks all my team because they did a great job over the weekend, I really want to repay them with a victory or a podium in Thailand.

More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:

First Race First Podium For New Yamaha YZF-R6

Race

In a dramatic WorldSSP race in Australia Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) fought all the way to second place on the new YZF-R6, finishing just 0.001 seconds from victory. He was subsequently penalised one second, but retained his runner-up status, after clashing with race winner Roberto Rolfo over the finish line. Mahias? fellow GRT Yamaha rider Federico Caricasulo was on course for a possible podium finish but fell on the final lap and no-scored.

Originally scheduled for 18 laps the first WorldSSP race of the 2017 season was cut to 15 laps as a precaution against excessive tyre wear, and after a crash brought out the red flag in the first attempted race a ten lap contest was finally run.

The race was as intense as its sprint length may have indicated and Mahias was never out of the top three places across the line. Rolfo and Lucas exited the final corner line astern and touched as they battled for the win across the line, with Rolfo eventually running of the track surface.

Caricasulo, who had qualified third, led the first lap on the YZF-R6 and stayed in contention for the win right through until the final lap. In trying to re-pass Jules Cluzel he fell and collided with his rival’s machine on the exit of MG corner, his front-end grip issues finally catching him out.

The WorldSSP riders now head to Thailand and the Buriram circuit in readiness for the second round on Sunday March 12th.

Lucas Mahias

GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team

“It was a very short race but a very good one. In the beginning of the week I crashed very hard in turn three so it is incredible to be on the podium today. Coming to the line for the final time I realised I could be fast out of the last corner. I would have preferred to win the race but I was just a bit short. Finishing second is a good start for Yamaha as this is a new bike and this is its first podium in the World Championship. My focus from the start was in saving the rear tyre, not pushing a lot. I had a good feeling with the front but some other riders slid a lot from the rear. I was not aggressive with the throttle so that was not a big problem for me and we got a good result.”

Federico Caricasulo 

GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team

“I had some problem all race with the front grip and I was almost closing the front sometimes. In the last lap I definitely closed the front and crashed. I am sorry for Jules’ crash and I hope he will make a quick recovery. I am sure we will do better in the next races. My concentration was not a problem and my mind was clear even with two starts, it was just the problem in the front and now we will check what happened. Maybe it was the high temperature but now we will try to understand why.”