Après avoir rêvé durant des années de courir à domicile, le Thaïlandais Ratthapark Wilairot (Core’’ Motorsport Thailand) en a enfin eu l’opportunité cette année suite à l’introduction du Chang International Circuit au calendrier du Championnat du Monde Supersport et a dépassé toutes les attentes en décrochant la victoire devant ses nombreux fans.
Engagé dans la lutte pour le podium après un départ en septième position, l’ancien pilote 250cc/Moto2 a profité de l’abandon de Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) dans le 14e des 17 tours pour passer en tête et s’imposer avec près de deux secondes d’avance sur Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) et PJ Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres), séparés de 0.032s à l’arrivée.
Deuxième derrière Sofuoglu sur la grille, Cluzel n’avait pas mis longtemps à prendre le contrôle de la course et était bien parti pour s’imposer en solitaire, comme en Australie lors de la première manche, mais a été contraint de finir sa course au stand en raison d’un problème technique sur sa F3 675.
Son coéquipier Lorenzo Zanetti a lui aussi abandonné après être tombé dans le huitième tour, peu avant la chute de Kyle Smith (Pata Honda World Supersport Team), qui occupait la quatrième position et n’a lui non plus pas pu reprendre la piste.
Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) a pris la quatrième place, devant Ratthapong Wilairot, le frère cadet du vainqueur, qui faisait lui aussi le bonheur du public local.
Roberto Rolfo (Team Lorini), Marco Faccani (San Carlo Puccetti Racing), Martín Cardenas (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda), Alex Baldolini (Race Department ATK#25) et Gino Rea (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda) complétaient le Top 10, devant le pilote local Decha Kraisart (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team).
Grâce à sa première victoire dans la catégorie, Wilairot mène maintenant le classement général avec respectivement six et onze points d'avance sur Sofuoglu et Cluzel.
Action packed WSS race has crowd on their feet until the end.
Ratthapark Wilairot (CORE Motorsport Thailand) has won the second round of the World Supersport championship coming home ahead of Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and PJ Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpre) who were second and 3rd in a photo finish at the end of an enthralling 17 lap race that had the packed grandstands on their feet with each lap completed.
From the start it was Kenan Sofuoglu that took the holeshot, the Turkish rider keen to make up for his mistake in the opening round of the series, but by lap 5 a group of five that included championship leader Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), Kyle Smith (Pata Honda World Supersport Team), PJ Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) and local hero Ratthapark Wilairot (CORE Motorsport Thailand) were locked together, much to the delight of the local fans.
Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) crashed out of the top 8 at turn 5 on the 8th lap, the Italian was unable to continue. Kyle Smith slid out of contention a lap later, the British rider who was on the podium in Australia clearly annoyed with himself.
Jules Cluzel who had been leading for most of the race retired with 3 and a half laps to go leaving Wilairot to claim an emotional first race victory in his home country.
American Jacobsen tried in vain to close down the slender lead of his Thai rival, having to make do with 3rd at the flag to secure his first podium of the year ahead after being passed on the final turn of the last lap by Sofuoglu who took 2nd..
Frenchman Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) scored his first points of the season, finishing a lonely 4th ahead of a jubilant Ratthapong Wilairot (A.P Honda Racing Thailand) who like his elder brother, had the grandstands on their feet as he fought off a fierce attach from Italian Roberto Rolfo (Lorini Honda) who was 6th.
Martin Cardenas (CIA Landlords Insurance) became the first Colombian in the history of the series to score points in the World Supersport championship ending the race in 8th
Wilairot now heads to Europe with a 6 point lead over Sofuoglu in the overall standings.
