Montella runs away with WorldSSP season opener at Phillip Island

WorldSBK 2024
Round One – Phillip Island
WorldSSP Race One

Much controversy surrounded the start of the World Supersport race at Phillip Island on Saturday afternoon. An issue with the starting lights confused some riders, and we saw much protesting going on in pit-lane, with crews and even some World Superbike riders remonstrating with officials and calling for the race to be restarted. Their pleas fell on deaf ears.

Away from the controversy, Stefano Manzi led the way from Yari Montella, Marcel Schroetter and Valentin Debise for the first part of the race.

Oli Bayliss hadn’t had much luck during the test, practice and qualifying sessions, but things were going his way here today, up to seventh place by lap seven.  He then progressed up to sixth after squeezing past Navarro, then up to fifth after getting the better of Mahias. Bayliss was one of the first riders to come in for his mandatory pit stop.

After the mandatory pit stops for all riders, Yari Montella emerged with a six-second lead over Marcel Schroetter and Stefano Manzi. Oli Bayliss was now up to fourth place, three-seconds behind third-placed Schroetter, but a second ahead of fifth-placed Navarro. The fastest man on track after the stop, though, was Federico Caricasulo, a 1m31.754 on the MV Agusta to the Italian.

Valentine Debise threw it away after his pit stop, crashing out at turn six.  Antonelli crashed at turn ten.

Tom Toparis copped a penalty for too short a pit stop, which nearly cost him the chance of a top-ten finish.   Lucas Mahias also copped a penalty, which would cost him the chance of a top-five result.

With four laps to run Montella led Manzi and Schroetter by a massive eight-seconds. Navarro was a further seven-seconds behind, followed by Caricasulo, Bayliss and Mahias.

With Montella having such a clear lead, the real action on track was unfolding in what was a heady battle for second between Manzi and Schroetter.  Nine-seconds further back, there was another close tussle over fourth being waged between Caricasulo, Bayliss, Sofuoglu, Navarro and McPhee.

Montella backed it off on the final lap on his way to a clear victory.

Manzi won the battle for second place ahead of Schroetter.

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Caricasulo kept Bayliss at bay to score a fourth-place finish.  Sofuoglu sixth.  A great result for the young Aussie after the disappointments of earlier in the week.

WorldSSP Race One Results

Phillip Island ASBK/WSBK Schedule

2024 WorldSBK Dates