Andrew Pitt and Kenan Sofuoglu both crashed out of today’s eighth round World Supersport championship race at Misano in Italy. Neither rider was injured, but the race was red flagged just after Sofuoglu’s crash because of oil on the track, with Britain’s Cal Crutchlow winning on aggregate time after the restart.

After yesterday’s difficult qualifying session run in changing conditions, Pitt and Sofuoglu started from ninth and 11th place on the grid. After a superb start, Pitt slotted into second place at the first turn and was leading the race two corners later. However, whilst pushing to extend his lead, the Australian lost the front at Misano’s fast turn 10 – sixth gear at 211kph (131mph).

Sofuoglu, meanwhile, slotted into fifth place but saw his championship rivals, Crutchlow and Eugene Laverty making a break at the front. After passing Katsuaki Fujiwara for third place, the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider crashed exiting turn one.

Sofuoglu did not return to his pit garage in time to make the restart, resulting in a double DNF for the Honda-mounted pair.

Andrew Pitt - DNF

There is simply no point running around for fifth and sixth place finishes, which we’ve had for the last few races. I need to start winning again and that was all that was in my mind today. The problem is that we’ve been testing new suspension and had very little dry track time. Yesterday’s qualifying was difficult but my start was pretty good and I was just pushing for the win and we know what happened. It was fast enough and my neck and shoulder are a little sore but I’ll be OK again by next weekend.


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2009 World Supersport championship, round eight
Misano, Italy (4.226km, 22 laps) results:
1 Cal Crtuchlow (GBR) Yamaha 36’51.032s
2 Eugene Laverty (IRL) Honda +0.263s
3 Massimo Roccoli (ITA) Yamaha +16.289
4 Joan Lascorz (ESP) Kawasaki +20.894
5 Mark Aitchison (AUS) Honda +21.615
6 Katsuaki Fujiwara (JPN) Kawasaki +22.272

Championship points after seven of 14 rounds:
Crutchlow 160, Laverty 146, Kenan Sofuoglu (TUR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda108, Lascorz 86, Anthony West (AUS) Honda 75, Andrew Pitt (AUS) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 73, Fabien Foret (FRA) Yamaha 63, Aitchison 61, Michele Pirro (ITA) Yamaha 48, Roccoli 40

Next round: Donington Park, UK – 28 June