The FIM Supersport World Championship (WorldSSP) roared into life this weekend at the Cremona Circuit, returning to Italy for the first time since September last year.
In Friday’s Tissot Superpole, it was local rider Federico Caricasulo who thrilled the home crowd by taking pole with a time of 1:31.728, followed closely by Yamaha riders Can Oncu and Stefano Manzi.
The session came to life in its final moments, with a flurry of fast laps reshuffling the grid. Caricasulo (Motozoo ME Air Racing) was the man of the hour, earning his 13th career WorldSSP pole and his first since Imola 2023. It marks a strong recovery after a pair of underwhelming rounds.
Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) had a slow start but found form late to claim P2, just 0.040s behind Caricasulo with a 1:31.768. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) also salvaged his day at the last moment. Having spent much of the session outside the top five, the Italian pulled out a 1:31.843 lap to take third place and complete the front row.
Spanish rookie Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was the first rider to break the 1:31 barrier and held provisional pole briefly with a 1:31.853 lap, before being bumped to fourth. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) surged early to take P1 but was eventually shuffled down to P5 with a 1:32.024. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) will join them on the second row after setting a 1:32.048.
Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) impressed early on and held provisional pole before crashing out on his eighth lap. His time stood, securing him seventh on the grid. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) was eighth with 1:32.297, Niccolò Antonelli (VFT Racing) ninth with 1:32.334, and Andorra’s Xavi Cardelús (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) completed the top 10 with 1:32.354.
For Caricasulo, this pole not only marks a long-awaited return to the front of the grid but also serves as a statement of intent in front of his home fans, who will be hoping to see him convert it into victory in Saturday’s Race 1.