Jonathan Rea takes victory and series lead at Donington


World Supersport 300

As the rain continued to drench the Donington Park circuit, the WorldSSP300 riders took to the track and put in strong lap times, combatting the weather in the best way possible. It was a history-making two Tissot Superpole sessions, as Ton Kawakami (BCD Yamaha MS Racing) took his first pole position, becoming the first Brazilian rider to take a WorldSSP300 pole position and the first pole for a Brazilian rider in the entire WorldSBK paddock.

WSBK Rnd Donington SSP Superpole Celebration Kawakami
Ton Kawakami

With Group A taking to the circuit first, the Brazilian rider took advantage of the bad weather, which often acts as a great leveller in motorcycle racing. Kawakami left it late to go to the top, pinching pole position from Indonesian rider, Galang Hendra Pratama (Semakin Di Depan Biblion Motoxracing). Hendra Pratama was demoted to third overall, as Andy Verdoïa (BCD Yamaha MS Racing) went top of Group B but only second overall.

Mika Perez (Scuderia Maranga Racing) moved up the order in Group A and finished fourth overall to the head of row two. Perez is ahead Hugo De Cancellis (Team Trasimeno Yamaha), who suffered a small crash during Group B, whilst he is ahead of Dorren Loureiro (Nutec – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki), who completes row two.

There were numerous shocks in the WorldSSP300 Tissot Superpole, most notably with Scott Deroue (Kawasaki MOTOPORT), who need to go through the Last Chance Race. Ana Carrasco, who won at Misano to go second in the championship, was only 16th on combined times. Having won at Donington Park last season, Carrasco will want to fight hard to try and get back to the front this year.

Perhaps the biggest story of the Tissot Superpole session was that the championship leader, Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team), who crashed heavily at Redgate Corner (Turn 1), needing medical assistance. He was taken to the medical centre for a check-up, with more updates to follow. There were numerous crashes in the sessions, with Verdoïa, De Cancellis, Marc Garcia (DS Junior Team), Bruno Ieraci (Kawasaki GP Project) and Omar Bonoli (Team Trasimeno Yamaha) to name all but a few of the crashers.

In the afternoon, WorldSSP300 action returned for the Last Chance Race, determining the six riders which will go up to join the main grid for the main race on Sunday. It was a fierce race which saw many accidents, although some unexpected names make it through to Sunday action for the first time, too.

With the Last Chance Race getting underway, wildcard Kade Verwey (Team XG Racing) took the lead, putting on a show in front of his home crowd, in a bid to try and make a name for himself and get through to Sunday’s race. However, as he dropped back through the order, he found himself surrounded by faster riders. Attempting to make up time, Verwey crashed but in the process, wiped out joint-second in the championship, Scott Deroue (Kawasaki MOTOPORT), as the Dutchman had to go through the Last Chance Race for the first time.

At the flag, it was Nick Kalinin (Nutec – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) who prevailed ahead of the chasing pack, after they had spread out. He won, ahead of Jan-Ole Jahnig (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team), Robert Schotman (Kawasaki MOTOPORT), Manuel Bastianelli (Prodina IRCOS Kawasaki), Paolo Giacomini (Kawasaki GP Project) and Beatriz Neila (BCD Yamaha MS Racing). Giacomini makes it through to the Sunday race for the first time this season.

Supersport 300 Superpole Combined

Pos Rider Bike Class Superpole
1 T.  Kawakami Yamaha YZF-R3 A 1m52.914
2 A. Verdoïa Yamaha YZF-R3 B 1m53.025
3 G. Hendra Pratama Yamaha YZF-R3 A 1m53.047
4 M. Perez Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m53.246
5 H. De Cancellis Yamaha YZF-R3 B 1m53.409
6 D. Loureiro Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m53.626
7 F.  Rovelli Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m53.838
8 O. König Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m53.917
9 D. Otten Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m53.922
10 K. Sabatucci Yamaha YZF-R3 A 1m54.189
11 B. Ieraci Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m54.340
12 L. Loi Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m54.580
13 M. Gonzalez Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m54.638
14 V. Steeman KTM RC 390 R B 1m54.652
15 E. De La Vega Yamaha YZF-R3 A 1m54.708
16 A. Carrasco Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m54.916
17 T.  Edwards Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m54.990
18 J.  Buis Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m55.031
19 Y. Okaya Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m55.115
20 T.  Bramich Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m55.290
21 O. Bonoli Yamaha YZF-R3 A 1m55.362
22 S. Di Sora Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m55.745
23 J.  Perez Gonzalez Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m55.873
24 B. Sanchez Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m55.897
25 K. Meuffels KTM RC 390 R A 1m55.944
26 D. Iozzo Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m55.962
27 M. Kappler KTM RC 390 R B 1m55.986
28 K. Aloisi Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m56.067
29 R. Dore Yamaha YZF-R3 B 1m56.071
30 F.  Hernandez Moyano Yamaha YZF-R3 A 1m56.074
31 K. Verwey Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m56.235
32 J.  Facco Yamaha YZF-R3 B 1m56.283
33 M. Bastianelli Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m56.834
34 A. Quinet Honda CBR500R B 1m57.069
35 K. Hartmann Yamaha YZF-R3 A 1m57.258
36 J.  Foray Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m57.294
37 R. Schotman Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m57.600
38 M. Luna Bayen Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m57.818
39 P. Giacomini Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 1m57.882
40 S. Deroue Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m58.158
41 J.  Jahnig KTM RC 390 R A 1m58.286
42 A. Pelikanova Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 1m58.343
43 B. Neila Yamaha YZF-R3 B 1m58.661
44 F.  De Bruin Yamaha YZF-R3 B 1m59.060
45 T.  Finocchiaro KTM RC 390 R B 2m00.683
46 S. Naud Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 2m1.342
47 M. Pedeneau Yamaha YZF-R3 B 2m01.376
48 M. Garcia Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 2m01.429
49 L. Verwey Kawasaki Ninja 400 B 2m02.124
50 N. Kalinin Kawasaki Ninja 400 A 2m02.425
51 B. Molina Yamaha YZF-R3 A 2m03.203
52 E. Mcglinchey Kawasaki Ninja 400 A /

Source: MCNews.com.au

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