Albert Arenas took a brilliant victory in Race 1 of the FIM Supersport World Championship at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto, Andalucia, surviving intense pressure in a hard-fought battle.
The weekend started with authority as Arenas topped the Tissot Superpole session, posting a 1’41.084s to secure his third pole of the year and his first since Aragon in May, beating Jorge Navarro to the front of the grid with Can Oncu completing the front row.
While Arenas led for all but one lap of the 17-lap race, the statistics mask a brutal scrap. He had to fend off Oncu in the opening half before a hard-charging Jeremy Alcoba emerged with his customary late-race pace. In fact, it took until Lap 12 for the Spanish rider to pull more than half-a-second clear of Oncu.
Late race drama materialized on Lap 15 when Alcoba managed to pass Oncu, slotting into second and trailing Arenas by 1.358s. By the next lap, that gap shrank to 0.778s, threatening to swallow the leader whole. But the race leader delivered a stunning response, laying down a 1’43.059s on Lap 16 and a 1’42.742s on Lap 17 to keep Alcoba 0.533s behind at the chequer. The fourth win of the season marked his first visit to the top step since Misano in June.
Reflecting on the triumph, Arenas said: “It was a great race for us. I felt super strong since the first laps this weekend. We managed the pace perfectly. I’m happy for my team and my people. It’s really special to win here at Jerez, with the crowd. Being able to stand on the podium in front of a home crowd is very nice. I was trying to keep my focus and ride well every lap. I was managing the rear tyre very well. I knew I had something else to try to put a bit more, but it wasn’t necessary. I just kept the same pace. I had to manage the front a little bit. I think we had a bit more in the second half of the race. I’m really proud of everyone and happy to be back on the top step.”
Unfortunately, a home double on Sunday ended in a disaster. Arenas was leading Race 2 when Tom Booth-Amos suffered two big moments under braking and clattered into the #75 machine, sending him flying into the gravel. Following the crash, Arenas was transported to the medical centre and diagnosed with multiple contusions, while Booth-Amos received a Long Lap Penalty for the next race he competes in due to irresponsible riding.
