Montella da Salerno conquers Portimão: “race 1” won by a landslide

He was the absolute dominator of race 1 in the Supersport at Portimão in Portugal. Yari Montella, originally from Citra Olive Grove and resident in the Picentini area, wins and celebrates again. He started from the second position on the grid, but the skilled driver from Salerno Montella immediately took the lead of the race and no one was able to keep up with his pace. Yari also set the fastest lap of the race. Montella took advantage of the start and left Orchards, who finished in second place. Stephen Manzi, then, he was able to resist the assault of Jorge Navarro and thus completed the podium of Race 1 Ssp. A liberating triumph, that of Montella in race 1 of the Portugal Round 2024 Ssp class: standard-bearer of the Barni Spark Racing team, after several defeats suffered mainly at the hands of Adrian Huertas, he took his third victory of the year, narrowly beating the Spanish rider, who was considered the big favourite after the Superpole.

The rider from Salerno made the most of his lightning-fast start from the front row and reached for the winner’s trophy right from the first lap, imposing a frenetic pace in race 1 and leaving his direct rivals behind. A success that also comes at a crucial moment in the riders’ market, with Montella who seems close to making his debut in SBK on a second Ducati fielded by the team Marco Barnaba.

Huertas, however, takes home the 20 points for second place and keeps a firm grip on the championship lead, while the ones keeping the fans and the Portimão crowd awake were Manzi and Navarro, protagonists in the fight for the last place on the podium. The two former teammates came to blows on the last lap, in which “Manzer” responded to the Spaniard’s overtaking at 1 with a decisive and perfectly calibrated attack at 5. Navarro, in an attempt to make an immediate response, almost crashed at Samsung and ultimately lost the chance to counterattack, finishing fourth. Fifth place for Federico Caricasulo on the MV Agusta of the Motozoo team, in front of Valentine Debise (ended up on the ground during the formation lap but still able to take part in the race), Marcel Schrötter e Lucas Mahias. Glenn van Straalen it’s Niki Wind completed the top ten ahead of Can Pioneer, who gave it his all in the first laps and then, as was predictable, progressively lost ground and positions.

In 12th place Lorenzo Baldassarri, at the 13th Simone Courses (the first among the World Ssp Challenge drivers). In the general drivers’ standings, Huertas rises to 256 points, while his advantage over Montella narrows slightly, dropping to 41 points. Navarro (sixth) gains ground on Schrötter, with only 14 points separating them. News provided by “Barni Racing Team”.