Turkish rider Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) became a four-time FIM Supersport World Champion after securing a second place finish in a shortened 11-lap Magny-Cours race overnight.
It was his second world title on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R since he became a Kawasaki rider in 2012.
Kenan‰Ûªs fourth championship came after fighting in what were two WSS races in France. The first attempt at a race was stopped after a few laps when another rider‰Ûªs engine blew oil onto the track surface, while Kenan was leading by over five seconds.
The second and real race, the only one that would count for points, saw Kenan second until lap four, and then take the lead for three laps. His only championship rival PJ Jacobsen passed him again later in the race, but Kenan understood he only needed to finish second to win the title. With a comfortable six second cushion to third place, Sofuoglu made sure of his fourth world crown with second place.
Kenan‰Ûªs career statistics in the Supersport class are without peer in almost all regards, having first become a regular WSS rider in 2006. He has taken 32 race wins from 103 starts. He has scored 68 podiums in all, 22 pole positions, 81 front row starts and 25 fastest laps. He was already the only rider to have taken three WSS titles (in 2007, 2010 and 2012) extending his record with today‰Ûªs fourth career championship.
‰ÛÏWe came here to get the title not to win the race."Sofugolu admitted. "That was most important for us.
"Everybody knows that the track conditions were very difficult. In the first race it was easy to go away out in front. In the second race it was different and I had a different tyre, but I had one goal ‰ÛÒ to go very fast at the beginning of the race to stay with Jacobsen only, take second place and get the title.
"When we had a two second gap to the rider behind I just thought I had to stay on my bike, not crash and get the title. Our plan worked well.
"I am happy because I did not make any mistakes and the team did not make any mistakes. I think everybody did a great job. I have to say a big thanks to the Puccetti Racing team, they have done an incredible job and of course Kawasaki helped us a lot to win this title. In the end we got the championship.‰Û
