Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/653298
IN THE WIND P30 CLUZEL TOO HOT TOO LATE IN WORLD SUPERSPORT I n steaming hot temperatures of over 100 degrees in Thai- land, the FIM Supersport World Championship competitors gave it their all, and in some cases too much, according to their peers. The winner of a race led by PJ Jacobsen (Honda World Supersport) for 15 laps of the 17 was Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), who was aided in his escape to a final margin of victory of 0.812 seconds, first by a mistake from Jacobsen and then a fight between Jacobsen and eventual second-place rider Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puc- cetti Racing Kawasaki). For Cluzel it was a welcome return to the top step—a limp- ing one in his case—after a long-term injury to his left lower leg. He has to get his leg up to speed on each weekend now, but once he did in Buriram, he was able to make his late advan- tage count. "I did not have a problem in my leg in the race," said a grin- ning Frenchman after recovering from a no score in round one in Australia. "I need one session to take the feeling of the track in my leg and then it's no problem. We improved our bike but we have to improve more. Winning the second race of the year I am so happy. We got 25 points and we will be back soon." Behind the lucky and yet still worthy winner Cluzel, the potential winner Jacobsen was run down and held back by ag- gressive passes, in his view, by runner-up Sofuoglu. "It's racing and it's good for the fans and stuff but this is the second time I have been hit in a race already after Phillip Island," Jacobsen said. "This is Kenan; he is aggressive and it is fine. It is fine with me but I was just upset that he kept messing the rhythm up to get back to Jules. I am used to dirt tracking so it is not a big deal but it was disap- pointing because Kenan kept overtaking me when I could have possibly brought us back to Jules after I made a mistake. The possibility to get the win maybe in the last corner was just finished because of Kenan out- braking me. The bike was pretty good in the beginning. We need to stop chasing stuff, we need to get it dialed and we need to be fighting for wins every single weekend if we want to win the championship." In fourth, and not willing to take too many risks to pass to try for a podium in the last laps, Randy Krummenacher (Kawasa- ki Puccetti Racing) did enough to keep his championship lead. Krummenacher has 38 points, Jacobsen is second on 27, Cluzel third with 25 and Sofuoglu fourth on 20. Gordon Richie Cluzel held on for the win as Jacobsen and Sofuoglu beat themselves up over second and third places. PJ Jacobson took his first podium of the year but thinks it could have been more.