Sportbike show at Assen: Vannucci takes an applause-worthy podium, Fleerackers wins by 0.097 seconds

Sportbike Race 2 on fire at Assen, and the first Italian podium arrives. Here’s how it went.

The first podium for Matteo Vannucci, a second place just 97 thousandths behind Belgian Ferre Fleerackers, who takes his first victory in the championship—a historic moment for his country—and the second for Suzuki after yesterday’s landmark triumph. Italian satisfaction arrives in the Sportbike Race 2 battle at the TT Circuit Assen, with the Revo-M2 Aprilia rider who narrowly missed third place yesterday. On the third step of the podium is Jeffrey Buis, winner of Race 1, now second in the overall standings. There’s a change at the top with David Salvador taking the lead, while former leader Antonio Torres slips to 5th place.

It was a real battle: Ferre Fleerackers and Jeffrey Buis (Track & Trades Wixx Racing), Matteo Vannucci (Revo-M2), David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) were fierce protagonists, undeterred by the white flag for rain from lap 10. The fight raged until the last lap—in fact, right to the line—given that the gap between Fleerackers and Vannucci was only 97 thousandths. Suzuki adds another slice of history after the long drought broken yesterday by Buis, and the Belgian himself makes a bit of history as he becomes the first winner from his country in the WorldSBK paddock since Gauthier Duwelz, the undisputed king of Assen in 2013 in Superstock 600.

Applause for Matteo Vannucci who, after a round at Portimão to forget (apart from pole position), shows a clear step forward in the race—first narrowly missing the podium and then finishing second, very close to victory. By far the best Aprilia rider all weekend, the hope now is to see him consistently in this form for the rest of a championship that is still long and only at the second round. Meanwhile, David Salvador moves to the top—on the podium yesterday and 4th today—while Suzuki has plenty to celebrate with all three of its riders: Kas Beekmans’ (VLR Racing Team Suzuki) comeback brought him to 5th place just half a second from the winner, making it a triple top five for Hamamatsu. Antonio Torres (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) bids farewell to the championship lead, unconvincing all weekend and 10th again today.

Among the front-runners was also Elia Bartolini (CM Triumph Factory Racing), but an unlucky crash at Turn 5 on lap five put him out of contention, though he later rejoined and finished 14th. Bruno Ieraci (CM Triumph Factory Racing) didn’t stay in the shadows either—at least at the start—as he even briefly led the race before slipping back to seventh. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) finished 12th, while Mirko Gennai (Panattoni BGR Smrz Racing) took the checkered flag in 15th.

Out of the points were Alessandro Di Persio (ARCO Yamaha MotoR University Team) and Thomas Benetti (MMR/Aprilia). A double zero for Mattia Sorrenti (Revo-M2), involved in an incident on the first lap yesterday and today featuring in another clash with Fenton Seabright (PHR Performance Triumph), this time on lap 5: the Italian also went to the Medical Center for a check, but he’s fine. Among the crashers, a double KO is also recorded for Tomas Alonso of the Miguel Oliveira Team, who fell in both races.