Orelac Racing Kawasaki’s Raffaele de Rosa claimed the first victory of his WorldSSP career in Saturday’s debut Mandalika race.
The Italian fought hard throughout the 19-lap battle with the lead swapping multiple times around the new venue. Dominique Aegerter settled for second at the flag after recovering from seventh with Federico Caricasulo claiming the final Lombok podium position after another team switch to end his season.
Valentine Debise was missing from the Supersport grid after being declared unfit due to an AC joint separation injury as the first Indonesian race prepared.
Aegerter launched from pole and retained the holeshot for the opening race of the weekend as Federico Caricasulo came through for second from de Rosa and Manuel Gonzalez.
Caricasulo took charge as the first lap unfolded, the first race for the Italian on the VFT Racing Yamaha as he looked to break free from the pack.
Steven Odendaal battled for fifth from Can Öncü with the pair swapping positions throughout the second lap, Peter Sebestyen and Unai Urradre heading Randy Krummenacher and Jules Cluzel on the edge of the top 10 as the Frenchman made his way through from 13th on the grid.
Gonzales was in charge as lap three began, the Spaniard matching Caricasulo for pace as the two circled six-tenths clear of the pack before de Rosa regrouped. The Kawasaki rider coming through for second as Aegerter dropped to sixth.
The threatening dark clouds finally brought the rain as the track went from dry to soaked in a matter of seconds and the first rider - local man Galang Hendra Pratama - hit pitlane for intermediate tyres. The rest of the field stayed out, with the showers leaving as quickly as they arrived.
Caricasulo defended hard from Öncü and Krummenacher as the pair dropped him to fifth, De Rosa claiming the lead from Gonzalez out front. The Spaniard was back in charge as lap six continued, a five rider battle for third developing with Öncü sitting third from Caricasulo, Krummenacher, Odendaal and Aegerter before the Turk advanced once again.
The rain returned with 12 laps to go and the pack shuffled once again. De Rosa returning to the lead from Gonzales and Caricasulo with Krummenacher back up to fourth.
Kallio Racing’s Vertti Takala became the first faller, at turn 17 as the race reached half distance.
It was an Italian one-two at the front as the second half got underway, Gonzales dropping to sixth as Odendaal improved to third with Öncü and Aegerter continuing their battle for the final podium position. Krummenacher down in eighth and defending from Cluzel with as many laps remaining.
Tuuli the next to suffer as the MV Agusta retired at the side of the track with a technical.
De Rosa set the fastest lap of the race with seven to go as he looked to gap the field, Caricasulo running just under a second back from his countryman with Aegerter best of the rest, two seconds behind. Fourth to seventh were inseparable as the race counted down, Gonzales heading the group as Cluzel came through to fifth over Öncü and Odendaal, and Krummenacher lost touch.
Four to go and the rain threatened to return, the white flags flying in the last sector as Aegerter recovered to second with Cluzel heading the second group for fourth.
De Rosa held an eight-tenth advantage as the final three laps got underway but the World Champion was pushing hard as he hunted him down with fastest lap pace. Aegerter sat just two-tenths adrift as they crossed the line for lap 18, the Italian defending hard in the closing stages to secure the victory by 0.105s at the flag.
De Rosa celebrated his maiden Supersport victory, on his 89th race, and the first non-Yamaha win of the season from Aegerter and Caricasulo with Cluzel recovering from a difficult qualifying to finish fourth across the line. Gonzalez claimed fifth from Odendaal and Öncü with Krummenacher, Hannes Sooner and Peter Sebestyen completing the top 10.
