WorldSBK Indonesia: WorldSSP champ Aegerter takes red flagged race two

Dominique Aegerter kicked off his second reign as WorldSSP Champion with the race two victory in Indonesia on Sunday.

A red flag with six laps to go secured the spoils for the Swiss rider while Dynavolt Triumph’s Stefano Manzi and Puccetti Kawasaki’s Can Öncü completed the podium.

With the Supersport Championship already decided, the battle for third got underway with race two at the Mandalika Street Circuit. Öncü leading the fight in the standings from a trio of Italians with Ducati riders Nicolo Bulega and Federico Caricasulo and Triumph’s Manzi mathematically still in contention.

Race one winner Niki Tuuli lined the MV Agusta up on pole on the 60℃ track with Öncü and Ten Kate Yamaha’s Aegerter completing the front row. 19 laps in the 36 degree heat got underway with Caricasulo in charge on the Althea from Öncü, Bulega and Aegerter before the Kawasaki broke free out front. Tuuli knocked back to sixth before he captured the double champion as his recovery began.

Yari Montella promoted the Puccetti up to third as the first lap unfolded. Lorenzo Baldassarri the next to capitalise on Aegerter for sixth as the Swiss rider fell into he clutches of Manzi and Orelac’s Raffaele De Rosa at the back of the top ten.

Baldassarri’s climb continued as he moved to fifth before a mistake saw the Evan Bros. Yamaha dropped back to seventh. The mid pack continuing to battle as the Italian returned to sixth and Aegerter dropped down to ninth.

Contact between Bulega and Baldassarri saw the Aruba lose out to eighth with his rival off track and recovering in eleventh. Öncü holding a two tenths advantage at the head of the field with Caricasulo trailed by Tuuli, Montella, Manzi and Aegerter in a five rider fight for the final podium