Alkass Digital
Doha, Qatar- Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP
Team) won the final race of the FIM Supersport World Championship season in
extraordinary circumstances, overtaking title contenders Sandro Cortese (Kallio
Racing) and Jules Cluzel (NRT) three laps from the chequered flag at the Losail
International Circuit, here on Saturday.
The Kallio Racing rider finished second, becoming the 2018
World Supersport Champion, after his main rival crashed out dramatically in the
final lap.
Tension was at an all-time high on Saturday evening, with
the race itself up in the air until the reconnaissance lap. Puddles scattered
around the Losail International Circuit after the afternoon’s storms kept the
riders on their toes on what was an otherwise dry track, but the consensus was
for the final race to go ahead.
The lights went out and a wild opening lap began. Polesitter
Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) went horribly wide at turn 1,
falling to fourth, while Corentin Perolari (GMT94 Yamaha) slotted himself
between the two title contenders, Cluzel taking the lead. Cortese moved past
the GM94 rider on the main straight and bridged the gap with Cluzel up to the
final sector, sticking an unbelievable move through 12.
But Cluzel returned the favour through the main straight,
and Perolari found his way past Cortese again. The German was determined not to
fall at the final hurdle: he moved past the 20-year-old Frenchman on the main
straight in lap 4 and set out to put pressure on the NRT rider; Cluzel went
wide at turn 13, Cortese moved swiftly back into the lead.
A ceasefire seemed to be agreed for the next few laps, but
with Mahias edging closer to the pair Cluzel came back all guns blazing in lap
9, sticking in a pass at turn 4. The slipstream through the start of lap 10
moved Cortese momentarily ahead but his French rival was back in front through
2.
Then came the moment that, with hindsight, would decide the
championship. Smelling blood and with both riders bickering at every corner,
Mahias seized his opportunity and passed both riders at turn 6 and into the
race lead. Cluzel left Cortese back in third, but beating his rival was no
longer enough: he needed the race win to overcome the five-point gap separating
them.
Knowing that he now held the advantage, even in a losing
situation, the German kept his cool and remained with Cluzel, fighting his way
through while trying to force mistakes out of his desperate rival. And the
mistake did come: Cluzel tried to put in a last lap pass over Cortese through
turn 7, with the championship all but slipping through his fingers; he lost the
front end, crashing out and officially handing the title to Cortese, whose
incredible consistency was finally the winning factor over Cluzel’s five race
wins.
Mahias crossed the line in first, taking his third win of
the season and the runner-up spot in the standings. Cortese’s second place is
enough to clinch the championship by 23 points in his rookie season.
Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team)
finished third after a fantastic climb through from seventh on the grid, with
Thomas Gradinger (NRT) in fourth position. Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan
Bros. WorldSSP Team) was fifth, with Perolari finally down in sixth. Héctor
Barberà finished his season on a high with seventh position, ahead of Raffaele
De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag) in eighth, Hans Soomer (Racedays) in
ninth, and Peter Sebestyen closing the top ten.
That’s a wrap on the 2018 World Supersport season! It’s been
a long ride, full of twists and turns at every stop along the way, and we can’t
wait to get going again.