Stefano Manzi collected his second victory of the 2023 WorldSSP Championship after a surviving a lap one collision with Federico Caricasulo to prevail in the opening race of the weekend at Imola.

The Italian added to his success at Misano last month after assuming control of the race upon passing Caricasulo through Villeneuve on the opening lap.

Thereafter he wasn't headed again, maintaining a comfortable advantage over Marcel Schroetter and Nicolo Bulega until the red flag was deployed on the final lap following a crash for Niki Tuuli on the exit of the final corner chicane.

Having inherited pole position from Bulega after the series leader's pole position time was later cancelled, Caricasulo won the sprint into turn one, initially from Yari Montella before Manzi nose ahead of the Barni Ducati rider.

Instantly setting his sights on Caricasulo, Manzi swept through into Villeneuve but a wider exit invited the Althea Ducati rider back to the outside for the ensuing right-hander. However, the two would lean on each other, the subsequent bump enough to skittle Caricasulo into the gravel trap and out of the race.

Manzi, meanwhile, stayed upright and maintain his lead, the Ten Kate Yamaha rider wasting no time in getting the hammer down to eke out a healthy lead.

He initially had Schroetter for company but the MV Agusta rider's challenge would steadily fade as the race continued, the German coming under pressure late on from Bulega but never needing to defend hard from the Italian in third.

it meant Manzi held a +2.2secs entering the final lap, a margin classified as a winning one moments later when the race was stopped due to Tulle's stricken PTR Triumph at the Variante Bassa.

A second win of the season for Manzi, and the third of his WorldSSP career to date, it helps him consolidate second in the standings and nibbles Bulega's advantage down to 46 points.

Sofuoglu 'brakes' through in 4th, Booth-Amos 8th

With Schroetter and Bulega completing the top three, Bahattin Sofuoglu emerged in fourth position, the Turkish rider prevailing in an absorbing multi-rider fight for 'best of the rest'.

Initially contested by Montella and Adrian Huertas, eventually it was Sofuoglu and Tuuli that rose to the front of the pack, the pair engaging in some fierce duelling as Tuuli capitalised on his Triumph STR765's strong top end drive and Sofuoglu - no doubt having learned from his countryman and training mate - throwing some wild shapes on the brakes.

As the duo entered the final lap, Tuuli was sizing up a pass on Sofuoglu as they rounded the Variante Bassa, only for the rear to step out and the Finn to be flicked off the bike. Taking Adrian Huertas with him, stewards called an early halt to the race in response.

With Tuuli out and Huertas delayed after remounting, Montella capitalised to claim fifth on the classification, ahead of fellow Italians Raffaele de Rosa and Nicholas Spinelli, while Tom Booth-Amos produced a fine fightback from a lowly 21st on the grid to collect another strong top ten finish in eighth.

Earning him top Kawasaki status, he had the distinction of beating 2017 WorldSSP Champion Lucas Mahias at the finish, with the remounted Huertas classified tenth in the end.

A race of high attrition that saw ten riders fail to reach the flag, Federico Fuligni, Luca Ottaviani, Glenn van der Straalen, Andy Verdoia and Stefano Valtulini completed the top 15 for points.

Of the Brits, Tarran Mackenzie trailed in 21st and last, while Harry Truelove and John McPhee failed to finish.

Imola WorldSSP | RACE 1 RESULTS