2014 Phillip Island World Supersport Results
Ahead of the opening round in 2014 World Supersport, MV Agusta was on a 38-year dry spell in world-championship racing. The last time the Italian company took a victory was at Nurburgring, Germany, in 1976. The winner? The legendary Giacomo Agostini.
But this all changed Sunday at Phillip Island SS when Jules Cluzel piloted the MV Agusta Reparto Corse – Yakhnich Motorsport F3 675 to the top of the podium. The Frenchman was joined on the podium by DMC-Panavto Yamaha’s Kev Coghlan and Core PTR Honda’s Raffaele De Rosa, respectively.
Cluzel began the race from 14th on the grid, and began quickly progressing. The race was red flagged on the eight lap due to a technical issue on Jack Kennedy’s CIA Insurance Honda CBR600RR. The bike spewed some oil on the track, which resulted in the red flag.
Officials decided to hold a five-lap shortened race, and the reigning Supersport Champion and pole sitter Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki) took the lead at turn one. But on the second lap of the restarted race, Sofuoglu crashed, along with Pata honda World Supersport’s Michael van deer Mark. Sofuoglu suffered a DNF, and van der Mark was able to rejoin the grid at the back.
With the two favorites out, a five-way battle to the finish line began up front with Cluzel in the lead. He was able to fend off challenges by Coghlan and Dze Rosa. Finishing fourth and fifth were Florian Marino (IntermotoPonyexpres Kawasaki) and Roberto Tamburini (San Carlo Puccetti Racing Kawasaki), respectively.
Following the historic win, Cluzel said “we were terribly unlucky both during testing and at the start of the weekend. We rode far fewer laps than we should have. So, after that, going on to win was just a dream!
“Before the start I told my mechanics I’d do my utmost: and that’s exactly what I did, without making a single mistake. It’s a deserved victory; we’ve still got a long way to go but we’re convinced that the bike and the Team have huge potential.”
Giovanni Castiglioni, President of MV Agusta, also commented on the win: “A marvelous win, an indescribable thrill. I want to dedicate this first victory to my father, whose faith in MV and the possibility of a successful return to racing was always unshakeable, and the late father of Brian Gillen, our Reparto Corse manager. I want to thank the Yakhnich Motorsport team and everyone involved in this ambitious project for their exemplary commitment.”
World Supersport continues at Motorland Aragon following a seven-week break.
2014 Phillip Island World Supersport Results:
1. Jules Cluzel, French, MV Agusta F3 675
2. Kev Coghlan, Great Britain, Yamaha YZF-R6 +0.224
3. Raffaele de Rosa, Italian Honda CBR600RR +0.317
4. Florian Marino, French, Kawasaki ZX-6R +0.347
5. Roberto Tamburini, Italian, Kawasaki ZX-6R +0.822
6. Kevin Wahr, Great Britain, Yamaha YZF-R6 +4.010
7. Graeme Gowlald, Great Britain, Triumph 675 R +5.282
8. Riccardo Russo, Italian, Honda CBR600RR +5.310
9. Fabio Menghi, Italian, Yamaha YZF-R6 +5.517
10. Christian, Italian, Kawasaki ZX-6R +5.858
11. Roberto Rolfo, Italian, Kawasaki ZX-6R +6.491
12. Tony Covena, Netherlands, Kawasaki ZX-6R +7.873
13. Nacho Calero, Spanish, Honda CBR600RR +10.163
14. Marco Bussolotti, Italian, Honda CBR600RR +12.406
15. Fraser Rogers, Great Britain, Honda CBR600RR +12.622
16. Ryan Taylor, Australian, Yamaha YZF-R6 +12.895
17. Alexey Ivanov, Russia, Yamaha YZF-R6 +12.892
Not Classified
Ratthapark Wilairot, Honda CBR600RR
Bryan Staring, Australia, Honda CBR600RR
Michael van der Mark, Netherlands, Honda CBR600RR
Kenan Sofuoglu Turkey, Kawasaki ZX-6R
Billy McConnel, Australia, Smiths Triumph 675 R
Jack Kennedy, Ireland, Honda CBR600RR
PJ Jacobsen, USA, Kawasaki ZX-6R
Vladimir Leonov, Russia, MV Agusta F3 675
2014 World Supersport Point Standings:
1. J. Cluzel, 25
2. K. Coghlan, 20
3. R. De Rosa, 16
4. F. Marino, 13
5. R. Tamburini, 11
6. K. Wahr, 10
7. G. Gowland, 9
8. R. Russo, 8
9. F. Menghi, 7
10. C. Gamarino, 6
11. R. Rolfo, 5
12. T. Covena, 4
13. N. Calero, 3
14. M. Bussolotto, 2
15. F. Rogers, 1
