Britain’s Gino Rea took third place in today’s tricky World Supersport race at Sepang as former Superbike star Ayrton Badovini stole victory on the last lap.

Local rider Zulfahmi Khairuddin kept raucous home fans on their feet at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, as the WorldSSP rookie went from his P5 grid slot to both lead the race and challenge for the victory on the last lap. On the final corner, Fahmi just lost out to Ayrton Badovini, as the Italian managed to cut back on the inside to beat the Malaysian over the line by a whisker. GRT rider  Rea, after good pace all weekend, made good on his grid position after initially leading and completed the podium in third.

In a race postponed until after WSBK due to weather conditions at a rainy Sepang, it was British GRT rider Gino Rea who got the best start, rocketing away into the lead in front of reigning champion Kenan Sofuoglu. The Turk’s teammate Randy Krummenacher lost ground in the first lap to cross the line tenth after Lap 1, with local Khairuddin making up places from fifth on the grid to duel with Sofuoglu and close down on then race leader Gino Rea.

The new asphalt at Sepang, especially designed to help with the local climate, was drying out as Khairuddin leapt through into the lead at the final corner on lap three to head a WorldSSP race for the first time. The conditions mixed up the World Supersport grid for an exciting race of nervous apexes, with the home hero shining and new addition Ayrton Badovini taking an incredible win.

Honda’s PJ Jacobsen got another good haul of points in fourth as the American kept cool under pressure, and was the lead rider in the group of key Championship rivals. Reigning Champion and points leader Kenan Sofuoglu suffered more in the conditions than his pace in the dry had shown, crossing the line in P6 as wet weather specialist and Assen winner Kyle Smith took his CIA Landlord Insurance Honda into the top five and past the Turk in the closing stages.

MV Agusta Reparto Corse title hopeful Jules Cluzel took a good amount of points in P7, just ahead of WorldSSP rookie and Sofuoglu’s teammate Randy Krummenacher as the two men fight to catch the Turkish points leader in the title standings. Alex Baldolini had a solid ride for a top ten finish in P9, as fellow Italian Federico Caricasulo closed out the top ten to gain another good finish in his rookie year.

Results:

Sepang World Supersport - conditions wet

1 6 86 A. BADOVINI ITA Gemar Balloons - Team Lorini Honda CBR600RR 14 2’21.636 249,8 2’08.771 256,3 25 41 9
2 5 63 Z. KHAIRUDDIN MAS Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki ZX-6R 14 0.050 2’21.752 255,1 2’08.475 261,2 20 40 10
3 3 4 G. REA GBR GRT Racing Team MV Agusta F3 675 14 0.980 2’21.574 252,7 2’08.410 257,5 16 52 6
4 4 2 P. JACOBSEN USA Honda World Supersport Team Honda CBR600RR 14 1.250 2’21.142 258,1 2’08.425 259,3 13 56 5
5 15 111 K. SMITH GBR CIA Landlord Insurance Honda Honda CBR600RR 14 5.035 2’22.214 255,1 2’09.862 255,1 11 57 4
6 1 1 K. SOFUOGLU TUR Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R 14 8.234 2’22.248 255,1 2’08.055 253,3 10 96 1
7 7 16 J. CLUZEL FRA MV Agusta Reparto Corse MV Agusta F3 675 14 17.802 2’21.403 257,5 2’09.259 258,1 9 67 3
8 2 21 R. KRUMMENACHER SUI Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R 14 20.300 2’22.395 253,3 2’08.155 252,1 8 79 2
9 14 25 A. BALDOLINI ITA Race Department ATK#25 MV Agusta F3 675 14 21.563 2’23.014 252,1 2’09.805 254,5 7 51 7
10 11 64 F. CARICASULO ITA Bardahl Evan Bros. Honda Racing Honda CBR600RR 14 26.285 2’22.877 254,5 2’09.770 258,1 6 48 8
11 13 11 C. GAMARINO ITA Team GoEleven Kawasaki ZX-6R 14 34.528 2’23.119 253,3 2’09.576 255,1 5 30 13
12 8 44 R. ROLFO ITA Team Factory Vamag MV Agusta F3 675 14 36.763 2’23.767 251,5 2’09.518 258,1 4 12 20
13 12 87 L. ZANETTI ITA MV Agusta Reparto Corse MV Agusta F3 675 14 41.450 2’24.203 255,7 2’10.278 256,9 3 21 15
14 17 81 L. STAPLEFORD GBR Profile Racing Triumph Daytona 675 14 59.487 2’24.341 249,8 2’10.043 260,0 2 8 21
15 16 78 H. OKUBO JPN CIA Landlord Insurance Honda Honda CBR600RR 14 59.835 2’24.165 251,5 2’10.029 257,5 1 1 27
16 21 41 A. WAGNER AUS GRT Racing Team MV Agusta F3 675 14 1’00.234 2’24.526 251,5 2’11.892 258,1 7 22
17 9 69 O. JEZEK CZE Team GoEleven Kawasaki ZX-6R 14 1’08.221 2’23.389 254,5 2’09.622 257,5 32 11
18 20 71 C. BERGMAN SWE CIA Landlord Insurance Honda Honda CBR600RR 14 1’10.306 2’25.745 250,9 2’11.499 256,9
19 22 83 L. EPIS AUS Response RE Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R 14 1’34.536 2’25.681 248,6 2’12.653 254,5
20 23 35 S. HILL GBR CIA Landlord Insurance Honda Honda CBR600RR 14 1’35.852 2’27.382 243,6 2’12.761 251,5
21 19 10 N. CALERO ESP Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki ZX-6R 14 2’02.637 2’29.776 249,2 2’11.118 257,5 1 29
—————————————————————————Not Classified—————————————————————————
RET 10 88 N. TEROL ESP Schmidt Racing MV Agusta F3 675 13 1 Lap 2’23.943 253,3 2’09.684 253,3 30 12
RET 18 19 K. WAHR GER Gemar Balloons - Team Lorini Honda CBR600RR 1 13 Laps 2’10.404 255,1 15 19
Air: 31°C Track: 42°C Humidity: 73%