Aegerter flops: his return to Supersport is a nightmare

From swan to ugly duckling? Maybe that comparison is a bit much, but that’s how it looks today. When Dominique Aegerter raced in Supersport, he embodied absolute perfection. Apart from Most 2022, he was always impeccable. The numbers were telling: 2 world titles in 2 years, 44 races and 35 podiums embellished by 27 victories. Now he’s back in Supersport after the Superbike stint, and in the first race he’ll start from 23rd on the grid.

And imagine the regrets when seeing Lorenzo Baldassarri fifth in Superbike FP2. It’s no secret that Aegerter was the number-one candidate to replace Andrea Iannone on Go Eleven’s Ducati, but the deal fell through and the team then decided to go with Baldassarri. With that opportunity gone, Aegerter chose to return to Supersport.

The Kawasaki ZX-6R 636s are really struggling this year, that’s no secret. Still, it’s striking that Aegerter was slower than his teammate Jeremy Alcoba who, yes, is in his second season with Manuel Puccetti’s team, but certainly doesn’t have the Swiss rider’s résumé.

Difficulties had already emerged in testing. Aegerter and the team never had the chance to test in the dry over the winter, which left them playing catch-up in their preparation. The bike change, combined with the need to readapt to Supersport and a different race program, further complicated the Swiss rider’s work. Aegerter finished free practice in 22nd, far from the front. In Superpole he managed to trim just a tenth, stopping the clock at 1’33.408, 1.293 seconds off the top. This result is a clear flop for a rider who came back to Supersport to win.

Despite the disappointment, Dominique Aegerter remains confident.

"The season has finally started," he commented. "Unfortunately, we didn’t hit the target we’d set. The positive is that we’re getting closer to the leaders: 1.2 seconds isn’t much. But 23rd place is hard to accept. I need more time and mileage on the Kawasaki. We need to work with the team to fine-tune the setup, optimize the electronics and engine brake, and improve throttle response. After a tough winter we’re working hard on these aspects. We’re making small steps forward every session and I have full confidence in the team."

The road back to being a frontrunner looks steep today, but in the past Aegerter has already shown he can turn early struggles into success.