The Yamaha bLU cRU class of 2020 dominated the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship round in Jerez, with Bahattin Sofuoglu taking the win in today’s hotly contested WorldSSP300 Race 2, emulating the success of teammate Unai Orradre in Race 1 yesterday.
Starting from eighth position on the grid, Biblion Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSSP300 Supported Team rider Sofuoglu found himself at the back of the 11-rider strong leading group on the opening lap of today’s 10-lap WorldSSP300 encounter. Sofuoglu got his head down and picked off his rivals lap by lap and, by mid-race distance, the number of riders contesting the win had been whittled down to just five, with the Turkish youngster well and truly in the mix.
Having taken his turn at the front of the race on a number of occasions, Sofuoglu made the race winning move with just two laps to go, pushing his way to the front and the defending the race lead until the end under tremendous pressure from former world champion, Anna Carrasco, fellow Yamaha rider, Hugo De Cancellis, and British rider Tom Booth Amos.
Combined with his sixth place in yesterday’s Race 1, victory today means that Sofuoglu now lies second in the championship standings and just a single point from the top. The win also gave Yamaha maximum points and the lead in the WorldSSP300 manufacturers standings.
Yesterday’s race winner, Yamaha MS Racing WorldSSP300 Supported Team rider Unai Orradre was also involved initially in the battle for the win in the leading group, but lost ground in the latter stages of the race and finished a creditable sixth. The Spanish youngster is third in the championship standings, but with the same 35 points as his bLU cRU teammate Sofuoglu.
Yamaha MS Racing’s Ton Kawakami was the next bLU cRU rider home in 12th position, having started from 16th on the grid, while Biblion Motoxracing Yamaha’s Alvaro Diaz also finished in the points, crossing the line in 15th position.
Yamaha MS Racing’s Alan Kroh was again unfortunate to miss out on his first world championship points, as the German-Brazilian youngster added 17th position in the race today to his 16th place finish yesterday.
The Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Challenge, the winner of which will receive a supported ride for the 2020 season, is tied at the top after the first two races, but that could well change with the Yamaha bLU cRU class of 2020 heading to Portimão for another WorldSSP double header next weekend.
2020 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Challenge Standings
1= Bahattin Sofuoglu
1= Unai Orradre
- Ton Kawakami
- Alvaro Diaz
- Alan Kroh
Bahattin Sofuoglu: P1
Biblion Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSSP300 Supported Team
“In the first race yesterday, I was feeling really good and knew I had podium potential, but then I lost it a little bit in the last corner drama! We tried some changes for warm up this morning that didn’t work as expected, so we reverted to the previous set up for the race. I didn’t get the best of starts and was down in 10th place in the early laps but I started to push and, step by step, I was able to fight my way through to the front by the middle of the race. The pace was incredible, and I was having to push so hard and brake so late to stay in front, but I was determined to fight for the podium today. I was leading at the start of the last lap, but I was so scared, someone came past me into turn one, so I pushed again to retake the lead on the brakes. I came under even more pressure in the final corner, with at least one rider trying to force his way through for the win, but I gave it my all and then was literally praying nobody would be able to draft past me on the way to the line. To win here in Jerez is an incredible feeling and I was so happy that I may have cried just a little bit! Now I hope to go to Portimão for the next two races and enjoy the same feeling.”
Alberto Barozzi: Yamaha Motor Europe bLU cRU Racing Manager
“Bahattin did something special today, in what was a super exciting race. We leave Jerez having dominated the opening round of the 2020 FIM Supersport 300 Championship and with maximum points in the manufacturers standings courtesy of Unai’s win yesterday and Bahattin’s win today. But it’s not just about the wins, the fact that Ton and Alvaro also finished in the points and Alan only missed out by the narrowest of margins shows the depth of talent we have developed. Congratulations also to Team Brasil AD 78’s Meikon Kawakami, who qualified on pole and finished top 10 today. The whole bLU cRU team have done a fantastic job, not just here in Jerez but also during what was a difficult build up to the eventual start of the season. Now we can look forward to Portimão next weekend with some confidence.”
