WorldSSP Catalunya, RACE 1 | Adrian Huertas powers to maiden WorldSSP win on home soil

Adrian Huertas is the WorldSSP Championship’s newest race winner after holding his nerve to complete a long-awaited maiden victory on home soil at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The Spaniard stayed out of trouble and mostly out front throughout the 18-lap encounter to score victory from pole position, his first in the WorldSSP series aboard the Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2.

Having seen his hopes of breaking his duck from pole in Australia scuppered by technical issues, Huertas would have no such concerns in front of the local crowd after taking control of the race from lap four and resisting late pressure from an advancing Stefano Manzi in the closing stages.

Indeed it was a trouble-free afternoon for Huertas, who succeeds WorldSBK-graduating predecessor Nicolo Bulega in the factory Ducati squad, from the word go as he jostled for the lead with Puccetti Kawasaki’s Can Oncu before easing his margin out beyond the chasing pack for the remainder of the race.

Save for a late bid by Manzi on the Ten Kate Yamaha, Huertas remained unchallenged to the flag to secure the Race 1 spoils at the top of his third season in WorldSSP.

Manzi picked up valuable points for second to make amends for his DNF during the final race in Australia, while Marcel Schroetter made it three podiums in succession with a fight-back up to third place on the MV Agusta F3 800 RR.

Double Phillip Island race winner Yari Montella survived a brush with an over-eager Jorge Navarro in the closing stages for fourth, the Italian – whose rear-wheel on the Barni Ducati was grazed by the Triumph man at Turn 10 – retaining his advantage at the head of the standings.

Valentin Debise completed the top five on the Evan Bros Yamaha from Federico Caricasulo on the Motozoo ME AIR MV Agusta, the pair benefactors of Navarro’s wide moment late on to leave the Spaniard seventh.

Following his early challenge at the front of the field, Oncu faded to eighth at the flag, ahead of rookie Niccolo Antonelli in ninth on the Althea Ducati and 2023 Catalunya WorldSSP race winner Bahattin Sofuoglu.

Local man Yeray Ruiz won out in a fight with British pair John McPhee and Tom Booth-Amos on their respective Triumphs to cross the line 11th, 12th and 13th, with Glenn van Straalen and Lorenzo Dalla Porta – in his first appearance of the year – collecting the final digits in 14th and 15th.

Of the retirements, Lucas Mahias was the highest-profile, the Frenchman throwing a potential podium finish away when he low-sided out of third on lap ten at Turn 10.

🇪🇸 ⏱️ 2024 WorldSSP Catalunya | RACE 1 Results

Saturday | Conditions – Dry, Sunny