Assen, round 2: Van Straalen takes home victory in the Ten-Kate / Supersport World Championship

From this year, the starting grid for the second Supersport two-series race will be determined using a new system: it was not only the Superpole that counted, but the fastest lap time from race 1 to the top 9. From the starting position. 10, Superpole results.

Federico Caricasulo (MV Agusta) started from the pole, the front row was completed by the 1st winner Adrian Huertas (Ducati) and Stefano Manzi (Yamaha). Marcel Schrötter started the race from 5th place in row 2, Swiss Marcel Brenner (MTM Kawasaki) from last place in 31st place.

The rain forecast for the afternoon started soon after the race started at 3:15 am. It was raining heavily, but all the bikes were on the starting grid with slicks. Most drivers used wet tires in the first three laps.

When the field lined up, Lorenzo Baldassarri (Ducati) was leading ahead of Honda rider Kaito Toba and 1st place winner Huertas. Later, Niki Tuuli (Ducati), who was in good form, and local hero Glenn van Straalen (Yamaha) joined the battle for victory.

After just seven laps the rain stopped and the race line began to dry. Now van Straalen used his home advantage and was pleased with the fastest and safest lap times. Passing Baldassarri, Huertas and Tuuli, the 23-year-old led with four laps to go and confidently took his first Supersport victory.

Because Stefano Manzi finished behind in 22nd place, Huerta’s second place was enough to take the championship lead. After a long summer, Niki Tuuli climbed the podium in third place.

The best MV Agusta driver to finish was Bahattin Sofuoglu in 5th place, who set the fastest lap of the race at 1:45.814. Kaito Toba drove a brave race, securing Honda’s best result of the season in seventh place.

Marcel Schrötter (MV Agusta) probably waited a lap too long to change wet tyres. As a result, the Bavarian was off the mark for a long time, but he got a conciliation result in the ninth place. Marcel Brenner crossed the finish line in 20th place.

Here’s how the race went:

Start: Huertas in front of Öncü and Manzi. The twelfth Schrötter.

Lap 1: Huertas nearly crashes, but gets out of the first lap with a 1.8 second lead. Öncü is second, Manzi is third. It’s raining heavily, but five drivers come to the pits to change tires, including Brenner.

Lap 2: Of the drivers in front, only Manzi has a trick left on the track. John McPhee fell.

Round 3: The field should still line up after the hole stops.

Lap 4: Tom Edwards (Ducati) leads on slicks. Best wet tire driver Lorenzo Baldassarri in 9th place – but he’s 26 seconds faster!

Lap 5: The leading Australian is caught by Honda rider Kaito Toba and Baldassarri. A little later, Edwards is only seventh.

Lap 6: Baldassarri has taken the lead, then Toba and Huertas. The last drivers take wet tires, including Manzi. Fall Luke Power.

Lap 7: Huertas passed Toba in 2nd place Schrötter, 30 seconds back.

Heat 8: Van Straalen ran two seconds faster than the rest in 1:46.847.

Lap 9: Baldassarri leads by 1 second from Tuuli, Huertas and Toba. Schrötter is stuck in 11th place, Brenner is in 18th place.

Stage 10: The rain has stopped and the path is already drying again in some places. Tuuli is more confident and comes forward. Fastest man on the slopes but van Straalen in 5th.

Stage 11: Van Straalen passed Baldassarri in 1:46.794, Toba in 3rd place!

Stage 12: Tuuli leads by 2 seconds over van Straalen and Huertas. Schrötter remains eleventh, Brenner 19th.

Stage 13: Van Straalen catches Finn for a second. Huertas (3rd) comes under pressure from Antonelli. Manzi, who is in 22nd place, spends 1:46.559 minutes.

Lap 14: Van Straalen only 0.6 seconds behind Tuuli. Fastest lap Sofuoglu (7th) in 1:46.182 minutes.

Series 15: Von Straalen takes the lead to cheers from his teammates! Sofuoglu (7th) also shows what is possible in 1:45.814 minutes. Schrötter (10th) on Öncü’s rear wheel.

Stage 16: Van Straalen 1.8 seconds ahead of Tuuli and 2.5 seconds ahead of Huertas, with Antonelli still breathing down his neck. The ninth Schrötter.

Stage 17: Huertas passes Tuuli to take second place.

Last lap: Van Straalen wins ahead of Huertas and Tuuli. The ninth Schrötter.