Within striking distance of the absolute WSBK top: Dominique Aegerter closes his rookie season in the World Superbike Championship with two top-3 results
GRT Yamaha rider Dominique Aegerter showed his best race weekend so far in WSBK at the World Superbike Championship in Jerez. Already looking strong in Friday’s practice sessions, Aegerter confirmed his form on Saturday in Superpole when he qualified on the front row. After a defect in Saturday’s race, Aegerter made an impressive comeback on Sunday, finishing both the sprint and the second main race in the top 3.
“It was an indescribably nice feeling to have achieved my first WSBK podium,” breathed Aegerter. “We worked very hard for this. Everyone, starting with my crew, the whole team, the Pirelli people and also the suspension specialists from Öhlins, played their part in this success and did a fantastic job. But also my support staff and coaches back home in Switzerland, and all the sponsors.”
The final race day, like the entire season, was not without its problems. In the Superpole race, Aegerter caused a race stoppage when the engine of his Yamaha went up in smoke. The Swiss rider had to start with the replacement bike and finished second after the restart.
Aegerter finished the second main race in third place. He rode in the leading group throughout the race and was within striking distance of Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha). He was just 0.3 seconds short of his first victory.
Perfect end to a WSBK debut season that didn’t go smoothly
Thanks to the points for third place, Aegerter improved to eighth in the rider standings and was second best rookie behind Danilo Petrucci (Barni-Ducati). “The season didn’t go smoothly. We started strong, but then I had problems with arm pump syndrome. And also my shoulder hurt for a long time after a race crash,” said Aegerter, citing the reasons for missing out on the rookie title.
“But when I crossed the finish line in second place on Sunday morning, a big weight fell off my shoulders,” admits the Swiss. “I was very close behind Bautista the whole time. At one point I even thought I could catch him. But my first podium was more important to me, and I brought it safely to the finish. It was a very emotional moment for me. “
“Best weekend” at the end of an “unforgettable season “
“It was my goal to be on the podium. Originally, I wanted to achieve that by the middle of the season. But it took until this weekend. It’s not just about the two podiums, I think it was our best weekend this season, even if we had some bad luck on Saturday,” explained Aegerter.
In the end I scored a lot of points for the championship and finished eighth. It was really a nice end to an unforgettable season. The weather was beautiful and the fans were great,” said Aegerter, thanking the nearly 40,000 Superbike fans in attendance in Jerez.
GRT-Yamaha still has a test coming up this week in preparation for the 2024 WSBK season. However, with the Yamaha R1 at the end of its development, Aegerter is unlikely to test any new features.
“On Monday I’ll try to get some rest, because on Tuesday and Wednesday the new season starts with a test. And next weekend there will be the ‘Domi Fighters Racing Party’, where we will bring this season to a fitting close,” says Aegerter, looking forward to his annual closing party (to the event).
