NRT Yamaha’s Jules Cluzel kept his WorldSSP title hopes alive with a win at the Argentine WorldSBK round this afternoon, emerging victorious after a close battle with rival Sandro Cortese.
Cluzel is now just six points behind Cortese in the championship, with just the season finale at Losail to come in two week’s time. Cluzel has now won five races in 2018, Cortese two, and one of those two riders will be champion.
Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) completed the podium trio at the all-new track in Argentina, having been an early contender for the win himself.
An early top three made a break from their peers but behind, after Cortese had broken free from eventual fourth place rider Thomas Gradinger (NRT Yamaha) and seventh placed Kyle Smith (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda), he joined the leading group before half race distance.
As the race gathered intensity Cortese got into the orbit of Cluzel and Mahias, with Gradinger and Corentin Perolari (Yamaha GMT94) fighting it out behind for fourth. Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha) found pace just after half way and piled into the Gradinger and Perolari fight, but could not quite make it count at the end.
Perolari was fifth, Krummenacher sixth.
Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was to Kawasaki rider in eighth, his team-mate Hector Barbera ninth and Loris Cresson (Kallio Racing Yamaha) tenth.
Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) went out after a first lap clash with French rider Perolari. Raffaele De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag) was a technical retiree on lap seven.
Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing Yamaha) finished 12th today; one place behind the top MV of Ayrton Badovini (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag).
