Sykes takes Magny-Cours pole
The penultimate Tissot-Superpole of the season has gone to Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), courtesy of a circuit best lap of 1.36.366 after a fast and furious session saw the top spot change repeatedly in the final minutes.
In Superpole 1 it was Frenchman Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) who set the fastest time of the weekend during the session, moving into the final 15 minute shoot-out along with Max Neukirchner (3C Racing Team) who also progressed joining the already seeded top ten riders after FP1, FP2 and FP3.
Alongside Sykes on the front row tomorrow will be Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) and Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) who kept his title hopes alive by making it onto the front row.
Row two comprises the second Ducati Superbike Team entry of Chaz Davies, and the Aprilia Racing duo of Sylvain Guintoli and Marco Melandri.
The best classified EVO rider was Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia) who will start both 21 lap races from 13th on the grid. The Frenchman narrowly missing out on moving into Superpole 2.
EVO championship leader David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team) rode through the pain barrier after an FP4 tumble to salvage 7th in Superpole 1 meaning a 17th position grid slot for both races tomorrow.
Fabien Foret (Team Pedercini) will begin his final WSBK races from 20th on the grid.
Tom Sykes: “I always ride a little bit reserved with a race tyre in Superpole, especially with the one bike rule in place. My target today was very clear, however. It is always to get onto the front row at every race, but today I wanted to go for full glory. As soon as I put the qualifying tyre in the Ninja ZX-10R was working brilliantly. All of a sudden we were able to put the bike where we wanted on the track a bit more easily and the new best lap time came relatively nicely. I was pushing, of course, and the bike was moving, but at the same time it was working well. Because of that I am very happy.”
Jonathan Rea: “I’m really satisfied with our work because the team has given me a great package here that I can ride really hard. I feel that in the race we’re more prepared because the CBR is quite easy to ride and changing direction here is really good. I tried to give it a good go on the second lap and was able to finish on the front row. It’s very important to be on the front row because the hairpin is a big bottleneck for the riders on the first lap. Hop efully I can be at the front of that and set myself up for a good rhythm in the races.”
Sylvain Guintoli: “I couldn’t find the right feeling with the qualifying tyre which is odd because usually that is a situation where I feel quite comfortable. Today the bike was performing better in race conditions. But it isn’t a problem. The important thing will be staying out front right from the first few metres of the race”.
Marco Melandri: “I was expecting a bit more from Superpole but we are in good shape for the race. We’ll have to get off to a good start and not let anybody run away at the front. And let’s hope the weather doesn’t mess up our plans”.
World Supersport
Jules Cluzel will start tomorrow’s penultimate World Supersport race of the season at Magny-Cours from Pole Position after an enthralling qualifying session this afternoon.
As in the Tissot-Superpole session for the World Superbike category the circuit best lap was smashed by Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), who is hoping to secure 2nd position in the overall standings.
Joining the Frenchman on the front row but unable to match the 1.40.550 lap time will be the sensation of the event so far, wildcard rider Lucas Mahias (MG Competition), who is making his WSS debut and former champion Kenan Sofuoglu (San Carlo Puccetti Racing).
Row two sees recently crowned WSS Champion Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport) alongside Roberto Tamburini (San Carlo Puccetti Racing) and American PJ Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) who took a suffered a small tumble in the final moments of the session.
Times: 1. Cluzel (MV Agusta) 1’40.550 average 157.927 kph; 2. Mahias (Yamaha) 1’41.009; 3. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1’41.036; 4. vd Mark (Honda) 1’41.151; 5. Tamburini (Kawasaki) 1’41.338; 6. Jacobsen (Kawasaki) 1’41.451; 7. Roccoli (MV Agusta) 1’41.517; 8. Marino (Kawasaki) 1’41.719; 9. Kennedy (Honda) 1’41.721; 10. Zanetti (Honda) 1’41.894; 11. Coghlan (Yamaha) 1’42.061; 12. Nocco (Kawasaki) 1’42.187; 13. Wilairot (Honda) 1’42.195; 14. Schmitter (Yamaha) 1’42.223; 15. Leonov (Honda) 1’42.251; etc.
Superstock 1000
The qualifying session ahead of tomorrow’s STK1000 final round was full of drama as current series leader Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Team) crashed heavily in the final ten minutes of the session as he tried to overhaul his arch rival Lorenzo Savadori (Team Pedercini) who claimed the eventual Pole Position.
Savadori will be joined on row one tomorrow by Ondrej Jezek (Barni Racing Team) and Fabio Massei (EAB Racing Ducati) with Kyle Smith (Agro-On Wil Racedays Honda), Sebastien Schet (Team BSR) and Matthieu Lussiana (Team Garnier By Aspi) making up row two.
For Mercado, who was taken to the medical centre for checks faces an uphill fight after ending the one and only qualifying session in 11th, meaning a fourth row start for the Argentinian rider tomorrow.
Times: 1. Savadori (Kawasaki) 1’40.781 average 157.565 kph; 2. Jezek (Ducati) 1’40.930; 3. Massei (Ducati) 1’41.162; 4. Smith (Honda) 1’41.182; 5. Suchet (Kawasaki) 1’41.619; 6. Lussiana (Kawasaki) 1’41.622; 7. Sandi (BMW) 1’41.635; 8. Muresan (BMW) 1’41.803; 9. McFadden (Kawasaki) 1’41.851; 10. D’Annunzio (BMW) 1’41.911; 11. Mercado (Ducati) 1’41.974; 12. Egea (Kawasaki) 1’42.051; 13. Metcher (Ducati) 1’42.105; 14. Lanusse (Kawasaki) 1’42.392; 15. Maurin (Kawasaki) 1’42.422; etc.
Superstock 600 – Race
The final STK600 race of the year has been won by Toprak Razgatlioglu (Bike ServiceRacing) after a thrilling 8 lap race at Magny-Cours this afternoon. The race was initially stopped after a nine rider crash at the infamous turn four hairpin, thankfully all riders were uninjured an all but two were able to take the restart.
On the restart everyone made it safely around the hairpin and at the front a titanic battle then ensued.
With several of the leading riders making their debut in the class, the fans were treated to a spectacular fight as the leading group consisting of over nine riders stayed locked together.
At the flag it was Razgatlioglu who came out victorious with Anthony Dumont (SLMotuer) and Niki Tuuli (Kallio Racing) completing the podium.
Newly crowned champion Marco Faccani (San Carlo Team Italia) qualified on row 3 but was soon in the hunt, however the rider who has dominated the 2014 season soon found himself on the floor, a victim of a collision that he was unable to avoid.
In the final standings Wayne Tessels (Wayne’s Racing Team) secured 2nd position with Andrea Tucci (San Carlo Team Italia) ensuring 3rd after the pair finished 11th and 6th respectively.
Jed Metcher claimed an impressive 13th place finish to grab some points for the EAB Racing Team.
Results: 1. Razgatioglu (Kawasaki) 8 Laps/35.288 km in 14’02.120 average 150.854 kph; 2. Dumont (Yamaha) 0.189; 3. Tuuli (Yamaha) 0.520; 4. Mikhalchik (Kawasaki) 0.898; 5. Clere (Yamaha) 1.059; 6. Tucci (Kawasaki) 1.426; 7. Duwelz (Yamaha) 3.895; 8. Lahti (Yamaha) 7.507; 9. Marchal (Yamaha) 7.662; 10. Puffe (Kawasaki) 7.840; 11. Tessels (Suzuki) 8.628; 12. Salvadori (Kawasaki) 9.081; 13. Bodis (Honda) 10.700; 14. Pittet (Yamaha) 11.308; 15. Berchet (Yamaha) 18.193; etc.
Final Standings: 1. Faccani 131; 2. Tessels 88; 3. Tucci 78; 4. Tuuli 74; 5. Caricasulo 66; 6. Mikhalchik 61; 7. Duwelz 48; 8. Salvadori 46; 9. Manfredi 38; 10. Lahti 32; 11. Rinaldi 29; 12. Casalotti 27; 13. Razgatioglu 25; 14. Bodis 23; 15. Marchal 22; etc-
European Junior Cup
Local wildcard Dorian Laville (Team Laville Mi&Do) has taken pole position for the last race of the Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda by edging out points leader Augusto Fernandez (Wil Sport) and Javier Orellana (Europ Food SL) at the end of the second qualifying session at Magny-Cours. Josh Harland (Josh Harland Racing), Hannes Soomer (Auto24ring) and Stefan Hill (Michrome Racing) will start from the second row in fourth, fifth and sixth position, respectively.
Aussie youngster Lachlan Epis found some more speed to sneak inside the top 20 while Brandon Demmery also made the qualifying cut-off in his EJC baptism of fire weekend.
Times: 1. Laville 2’00.073 average 132.250 kph; 2. Fernandez 2’00.237; 3. Orellana 2’00.421; 4. Harland 2’00.423; 5. Soomer 2’00.608; 6. Hill 2’00.654; 7. Licciardi 2’00.812; 8. Perez 2’00.963; 9. London 2’01.105; 10. Fernandez 2’01.551; etc.
