The 2023 Spanish Superbike Championship got underway at the Circuito de Jerez Ángel Nieto. The first race of the season takes place on this legendary track with 165 entrants from more than 25 countries around the world.
After some free practice on Thursday and Friday which served to set up the bikes, this Saturday was the first day of competition with timed trials and the first races of the year. In addition to the usual ESBK categories, there were also FIM Eur Handy riders.
Also this year the RFME is engaged in the live streaming transmission of all tomorrow’s races. Click here to follow them all.
Pole position for Román Ramos and victory for Ivo Lopes in Superbike
Román Ramos took the fastest REDD Fulbat Rider plate after beating Ivo Lopes who also presented himself as one of the fastest and who started second on the grid. Steven Odendaal finished third.
In the race Lopes has been leading since the lights went out. At first he was closest to Odeendal and Uramoto but, little by little, he pulled and distanced himself from everyone to take his first win of the year. The 22nd was not an easy season for the Portuguese but it seems that now he has found the secret to get back in front. Behind these three riders were Ramos, Marc Alcoba and Óscar Gutiérrez, battling each other for fourth place. The Kawasaki Palmeto PL Racing rider managed to get in the way and also pass Steven to close the podium together with the winner, Ivo Lopes, and in second, Naomichi Uramoto.
In Stock1000 they collected their trophies such as the best Unai Orradre, Guillaume Antiga and Eduardo Montero.
Eric Fernández, Andy Verdoia and Julián Giral fought a good battle for pole position in Supersport NG but it was the Speed Racing man who took P1. In the race, the three concentrated everyone’s attention as they were the ones who rode all the laps in the top three positions. Eric started very firmly and confidently and was the best without anyone being able to do anything to stop him.
Giral, who last season was one of the protagonists by taking second place, was second until, in the closing laps, Verdoia overtook him to cross the finish line behind Fernández. Giral got on the third step of the podium.
Antonio Torres conquered the first pole position of the SS300, detaching by half a second Unai Calatayud, the fastest yesterday in free practice. Iván Muñoz closed out the top three. In the race, Calatayud and Torres engaged in an incredible battle for victory and, in addition to riding super together, they outdid each other on several occasions. As the rounds went by, Gonzalo Sánchez and Iván Muñoz joined the party.
With 5 laps to go, Torres retired and the other three protagonists plus Enzo Valentín remained fighting to be the best. With a breathtaking finish and also with Unai out, Gonzalo Sánchez won, Muñoz was second and Valentín third.
David Gómez and Eric Ruz were the two fastest in the Moto4 timed qualifying but, in the final stages, Mateo Marulanda overtook them both starting first. In the race, Eric took the lead from the start with 8 riders behind, lapping in just half a second. The man from Igax tried to throw everything away to escape his opponents but times were so tight and there were so many players involved in the fight that the dance of positions didn’t stop in all the laps.
There were several riders who managed to lead the pack and after many changes, Alberto Enríquez took the win, Mateo Marulanda was second and Andrés García third.
Alex Longarela managed to stop the clock with the best time in PreMoto3 Carlos Cano at his heels, so much so that the QRG Motor Racing rider was 0.075 from the Igax rider. Enzo Bellon saw the third checkered flag. In the race, Longarela, Cano, Valentín Perrone and Bellón were in charge of fighting for the win until Alex had trouble staying out of contention.
Thus, Cano, Perrone and Bellon had to deal with each other. Enzo overtook Valentín to go for the win but couldn’t take it away from Carlos who took the win. Enzo was second and Perrone third.
Emiliano Malagoli, Lorenzo Picasso and Ivo Arnoldi were the three leading riders of the Handy European time trials. Most of the race was dominated by Arnoldi but, with four laps to go, Picasso passed him to win.
By category, Lorenzo Picasso, Emiliano Malagoli and Jacopo Gulla took the podium in the 1000cc; in mi Ivo Arnoldi; in 600cc Max Sontachi, Jacopo Gardiol and Vito Pisanello and in sl Antonio Montoya.
Comments are closed.