SS Phillip Island report: Gianluca Nannelli and Andrea Antonelli

The results of the two Supersport riders were conditioned by bad luck and inexperience.

Also in Australia as in Qatar, Andrea Antonelli was not able to finish the race because of a crash in one of the fastest curves of the circuit. Nannelli started his first race of the season here in Australia, after the clutch problem in Losail, but his choice of tires badly influenced his final results. Gianluca obtained the tenth position but gained some important points for his championship classification.

Gianluca Nannelli: “I started off well during the first couple of laps, after my unlucky race in Qatar I thought it would be better to finish the race rather than crash, so I didn’t force my pace. Starting from the thirteenth lap my rear tire started losing grip and I was forced to reduce my speed especially in the curves, for this reason I lost the first group of riders. My incorrect choice of tires penalized me terribly and the result is my tenth position in the race. I’m extremely disappointed because up until the tire held, I had a very good race pace and I could have finished on the podium. I’m particularly sorry for the team who worked with dedication and tremendous effort the entire weekend. I hope to achieve better results in the next race in Valencia”.

Andrea Antonelli: “My experience so far in Supersport has been really unlucky. In Qatar, I crashed after only a few short laps and here in Australia I was thrown off the track by a rider who bumped into me during the fast curve after the finish line. My race started off really well and I was in fifteenth position when the accident happened. Luckily there were no injuries involved. My goal is to continue practicing and concentrate my efforts on Superstock 1000 in Valencia were I sincerely hope have a bit of better luck”.