Krummenacher Retakes WorldSSP Championship Lead with Victory in Aragon

2019-04-07 11:42
Evan Bros. Bardahl Yamaha Supported WorldSSP rider, Randy Krummenacher, moves back to the top of the championship standings, after claiming his second race win of the season in a thrilling Supersport World Championship race in Aragon today. Krummenacher was joined on the podium by his teammate, Federico Caricasulo, who finished third this afternoon.

Kallio Racing Yamaha Supported WorldSSP rider, Thomas Gradinger, starting for the first time from pole position, managed to slot in behind Caricasulo on the opening lap, with the two Yamaha riders initially managing to pull a gap on the pursuing pack, led by Australian race winner, Randy Krummenacher.

Gradinger forced his way past Caricasulo to take the race lead on lap eleven, just as Krummenacher and Raffaele de Rosa closed the gap to make it a four-way battle at the front of the race.

As the leaders crossed the line four abreast to start the final lap, it was De Rosa who led but with the Bardahl Yamaha teammates looking increasingly threatening behind. In the end Krummenacher left it until the very final turn before making his bid for victory, ducking out of the slipstream at the end of the back straight and passing de Rosa on the inside going into the last corner. De Rosa held on for second place at the chequered flag with Caricasulo third and Gradinger a very close fourth, equalling his best ever result in WorldSSP.

Jules Cluzel endured a lonely ride to fifth place, with his GMT94 Yamaha Supported WorldSSP teammate, Corentin Perolari, finishing one place further back in sixth. Kallio Racing Yamaha’s Isaac Viñales and Loris Cresson both finished in the points, in 10th and 14th place respectively.

Krummenacher now leads the championship standings with 70 points and with a 14-point advantage over second placed Cluzel. Caricasulo lies third on 48 points, while Gradinger’s fourth place in Aragon moves him up to sixth in the championship with 24 points.

Untitled Randy Krummenacher
Evan Bros. Bardahl Yamaha Supported WorldSSP – P1
"It was a tough race today because the conditions changed again compared to the other sessions and I felt a bit on the edge. When I eventually made it to the front I made a bit of a mistake, so had to leave it until the very last lap. But that last lap was like a bit of a dream; I came out of the slipstream, managed to make the pass stick and then held onto the lead to the chequered flag. A perfect day in the end. Now I have a little bit of a lead in the championship standings once again, so we're heading in the right direction."

Untitled Thomas Gradinger
Kallio Racing Yamaha Supported WorldSSP – P4
"It's been a good weekend for me from start to finish. The pole position was a bit of a surprise yesterday, because qualifying hasn't been my strong point in the past, but it was good to start the race from the front of the grid for the first time today. In the race I was comfortable sat behind Caricasulo, but once I took the lead it was a bit different. These were my first laps leading a WorldSSP race, which was quite cool, but in the end I made a few too many mistakes while fighting for grip and they came past me again. Maybe, with a bit more experience, I can be stronger at the end of the race, but I'm happy with today's result, which makes up for the disappointment of the retirement in Thailand."

Source: Yamaha Motor Europe

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