Pata Honda rider edges out Cluzel in Malaysian grudge-match.
After 14 exciting laps, Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) has taken victory in the first ever World Supersport race in Sepang and with it extended his lead in the championship after an enthralling battle in the hottest Supersport race of the year, both on and off the track.
After taking the lead at turn one former champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Team India Kawasaki) was put under intense pressure from Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta RC – Yakhnich Motorsport), Van der Mark, Robert Rolfo (Go Eleven Kawasaki) and Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda World Supersport Team), with the top 5 riders easing slowly away from the chasing pack.
As the race progressed Sofuoglu dropped slowly back as did Rolfo and Zanetti leaving championship leader Van der Mark and Jules Cluzel to fight to the flag with the the Dutchman getting the better of the Frenchman in the final turn.
Kenan Sofuoglu took the final podium place in third after getting the better of Roberto Rolfo, with Lorenzo Zanetti and Ratthapark Wilairot (Core PTR Honda) completing the top six.
Wildcard rider Zaqhwan Zaidi (SIC Racing Team) rode superbly to claim a well deserved 9th in front of a very enthusiastic local crowd.
Both DMC-Panavto riders, Alexey Ivanov and Kev Coghlan crashed out early on as did Fraser Rogers (SMS Complus Honda), Fabio Menghi (VFT Racing Yamaha) before Jack Kennedy (CIA Insurance Honda) took out Roberto Tamburini (San Carlo Puccetti Kawasaki), with Florian Marino (Intermoto Kawasaki Ponyexpres) falling at the same corner seconds later. All riders were uninjured.
2014 FIM World Supersport Championship
Round six – Sepang, Malaysia
Supersport race results:
1. Michael van der Mark
2. Jules Cluzel +0.018s
3. Kenan Sofuoglu +4.526s
4. Roberto Rolfo +4.651s
5. Lorenzo Zanetti +9.187s
6. Ratthapark Wilairot +12.494s
7. Raffaele de Rosa +13.515s
8. PJ Jacobsen +20.400s
9. Zaqhwan Zaidi +20.579s
10. Marco Bussolotti +29.038s
Supersport championship standings:
1. Michael van der Mark 115
2. Jules Cluzel 82
3. Florian Marino 76
4. Lorenzo Zanetti 60
5. Kev Coghlan 60
6. Kenan Sofuoglu 54
7. Raffaele De Rosa 54
8. Roberto Rolfo 49
9. Patrick Jacobson 40
10. Roberto Tamburini 37