The French Superbike Championship FSBK-FE returns to the legendary Nevers Magny-Cours circuit. On July 1 and 2, the Moto Club de Nevers, under the aegis of the Fédération Française de Motocyclisme, will be welcoming 150 riders from all over France to take on this famous track. In particularly difficult morning conditions due to the rain, the riders will have to show their agility on this soggy track. Find out who the polemen of this 4th round of the French Superbike Championship will be.
SUPERBIKE
TIME TRIALS: FORAY CONFIRMS HIS CURRENT FORM AHEAD OF A NEW CHALLENGER
While most of the premier class riders left the track in the opening minutes of the session, the title favourites remained in the pit lane. Martin RENAUDIN (Yamaha Supported Team Moto&GP Addict – Pirelli) was the first to take provisional pole. Once all the machines were on track, we witnessed a number of battles between the experienced riders. The track, now almost dry, seemed to be to everyone’s liking.
Several riders established themselves at the front from their first laps. This is the case for Jérémy GUARNONI (BMW MDS – Dunlop) who didn’t take part in the 3rd free practice session this morning, unlike Alan TECHER (Honda CBO – Michelin) who has been particularly fast since Friday, or the provisional championship leader Mike DI MEGLIO (Honda CBO – Michelin). Lastly, Kenny FORAY (BMW Tecmas – Michelin) seems to be confident of his chances and is pushing his N°1 BMW to set faster and faster laps.
At the halfway point, he took provisional pole with a time of 1’39″103. The high-performance Hondas of TECHER and DI MEGLIO were provisionally second and third. Christophe PONSSON (BMW – Michelin), a former World Superbike rider now competing in the Endurance World Championship, was a new face among the leaders. The rider of the n°23 machine is setting a good pace and is determined to take his place among the frontrunners. Mathieu GINES (Yamaha Supported Team 41 Performance – Michelin), Gregory LEBLANC (Ducati TWR – Pirelli), the young Corentin PEROLARI (Yamaha Moto Ain – Pirelli) and Axel MAURIN (Yamaha – Pirelli) were also fighting for top positions.
At the end of the session, it was Kenny Foray who retained his pole position and will start tomorrow in the lead thanks to a reference time of 1’39″103. He will be followed by Christophe PONSSON, who made a stunning return to the French Championship with a fine second place in 1’39″611, just ahead of Mike DI MEGLIO, 3rd with a time of 1’39″689. Alan TECHER may have been hoping for better than his 4th place time of 1’39″714. Jérémy GUARNONI rounded off the top 5 with a time of 1’39″788. In 6th place was Mathieu GINES from Brittany, with a best lap of 1’39″909, ahead of the N°38 Ducati of Gregory LEBLANC, 7th in 1’39″952. The first young rider was once again Corentin PEROLARI (Yamaha – Pirelli), 8th overall in 1’40″451.
The top 3 in the young category led by PEROLARI was completed by Ludovic CAUCHY (Yamaha – Pirelli), 11th overall in 1’41″169 and Tanguy ZAEPFEL (Yamaha – Michelin), 15th overall with a best lap of 1’42″217.
SUPERSPORT 600
TIMED PRACTICE: GIMBERT ON POLE – ARBEL MAKES HIS MARK
The track is now DRY. The first rider to shine was Enzo DE LA VEGA (Yamaha – Pirelli). He set an opening lap of 1’43″922.Other class leaders such as Johan GIMBERT (Yamaha – Pirelli) and Loïc ARBEL (Yamaha – Pirelli) remain in their boxes for the time being. While DE LA VEGA still holds provisional pole at the halfway stage of the session, a number of riders such as Matthieu GREGORIO (Yamaha – Pirelli), Pierre LAURENT (Triumph – Michelin) and Hugo ROBERT (Yamaha – Pirelli) look set to upset the established order.
The provisional championship leader, Johan GIMBERT, came out of the pits and was no exception, snatching provisional pole on his first fast lap with a time of 1’42″883. Loic ARBEL didn’t waste any time either, setting his first best lap in 1’43″759, giving him a provisional 3rd place.
With just a few minutes remaining in the session, the front row of the grid seemed to be taking shape, with GIMBERT, ARBEL and DE LA VEGA in order. The top 5 was more evenly split and the drivers swapped positions right up to the end.
At the finish, it was GIMBERT who took pole position with a best time of 1’42″694. He set off ahead of Loic ARBEL, who had regained all his physical faculties and set a good time of 1’43″292. The front row is completed by Enzo DE LA VEGA, who will start from 3rd place thanks to his time of 1’43″662. Matthieu GREGORIO (Yamaha – Pirelli) was in 4th place with a best time of 1’43″886, ahead of Vincent FALCONE (Yamaha – Pirelli), the leader in the young rider category, who was 5th overall in 1’44″597. Laurent PIERRE was 6th in 1’44″546 ahead of two other strong contenders in Matthieu LUSSIANA (Yamaha – Michelin), 7th in 1’44″962 and Hugo ROBERT (Yamaha – Pirelli), 8th in 1’45″112.
GRAND PRIX OBJECTIVE
TIME TRIALS
PRE-MOTO 3: SANJUAN CHALLENGES THE CLASS
Rémy SANJUAN (BEON – Bridgestone), a rider who has already competed in the French Superbike Championship and has been retained by the European Talent Cup, the birthplace of future champions, is present at Magny-Cours this weekend. He was the first to put his name at the top of the timesheets.
Henri MIGNOT (BEON – Bridgestone) and David DA COSTA (BEON – Bridgestone) did not let themselves be impressed and both remained less than a second off the reference time.
In the end, it was SANJUAN who took first place on tomorrow’s grid with a best time of 1’54″319 ahead of MIGNOT who placed his #78 BEON in second place with a very good time of 1’54″404. The front row was completed by Quentin GODEFROY (ERDOG – Bridgestone) and his best time of 1’54″437.
TIMED PRACTICE
NSF 250: BERCOT BACK IN CONTROL
As usual, the class’s big names came to the fore in the opening minutes of the session. Evan BOXBERGER (Honda – Bridgestone), reigning champion Jules BERCOT (Honda – Bridgestone) and Livio MIRABEL (Honda – Bridgestone) were among the frontrunners.
In the end, it was Jules BERCOT who had the last word, starting first in tomorrow’s two races thanks to a best time of 1’55″199. He will start ahead of Evan BOXBERGER, second with a time of 1’55″589 and Lucas BOSSON (Honda – Bridgestone), 3rd with a time of 1’55″883.
SUPERSPORT 300
TIME TRIALS: NEW FACES CAUSE TROUBLE
It was the turn of the 300cc class to experience the wet track of the Magny-Cours circuit. After a few warm-up laps, an unprecedented rider set a blistering pace for his weekend rivals. He was the Spaniard Julio GARCIA GONZALES (Kawasaki – Pirelli), who competed in the same category in the World Championship, and who had come to rub shoulders with the young French talent for the weekend. He put in some fast laps and was the first to claim provisional pole with a time of 1’55″880. It was a fine challenge for a number of top riders, including Kevin SABATUCCI (Kawasaki – Pirelli), who is also a World Superbike rider, D’Jefferson DELBOSC (Kawasaki – Pirelli), Killian ROSSIGNOL (Kawasaki – Pirelli) and Mathéo DIEUDONNE (Yamaha – Pirelli), all determined to take top spot on the grid. These riders swapped positions throughout the session.
In the end, GARCIA GONZALES retained his pole position with a time of 1’55″667, just ahead of the other world champion, SABATUCCI, who started second by just a few thousandths with a best lap of 1’55″749. Rounding off the front row was D’Jefferson DELBOSC, 3rd with a time of 1’57″084. Killian ROSSIGNOL finished 4th with a time of 1’57″922. Provisional championship leader Ryan CHAUVEAU (Kawasaki – Pirelli) started from 5th on the grid with a time of 1’58″259. Finally, Justine PEDEMONTE (Yamaha – Pirelli) was 6th with a best lap time of 1’58″299.
TIMED PRACTICE: BERGER TAKES POLE
On a dry track, the young riders in the Moto 4 and Moto 5 categories were the first to take to the track this afternoon. The first to put his name at the top of the timesheet was Florian FRANÇOIS (BEON – Bridgestone), with a time of 2’09″173 from the very first laps, making him the first rider to break the 2’10 barrier. The other young drivers battling it out at the front tried to improve their times lap after lap, and Florian FRANÇOIS (BEON – Bridgestone) and Kevin MAIFFRET (CORSE – Bridgestone) were particularly impressive, with the aim of clinching pole position.
At the end of the 25 minutes, it was Matteo BERGER who took pole position at 2’06″068. His closest rivals were not far behind, as provisional championship leader Gabriel PIO (BEON – Bridgestone) took second place with a time of 2’06″313, ahead of Kevin MAIFFRET, who had been struggling since the Nogaro stage, and who took an encouraging 3rd place on the grid with a time of 2’06″862.
Romeo MONEYRON (Fulgur – Bridgestone) will start first in the Moto 5 class thanks to his time of 2’14″764 ahead of Teddy QUENEHEN (Erdog -Bridgestone) second in 2’16″021 and Elliott CARVALHO (Fulgur – Bridgestone) in 2’22″254.
RACE 1: PIO WINS DESPITE BERGER’S ENTHUSIASM
Poleman Matteo BERGER (BEON – Bridgestone) didn’t get off to the ideal start and was immediately overtaken. It was Gabriel PIO (BEON – Bridgestone) who regained the lead of the race alongside Florian FRANÇOIS (BEON – Bridgestone), who was second. BERGER was relegated to 3rd position at the end of the first lap.
A few laps later, Matteo BERGER managed to catch Florian FRANÇOIS and overtake him, before making a comeback towards the leader. At this stage of the race, PIO was first ahead of BERGER, who was pushing hard, and FRANÇOIS, 3rd.
At the finish, Gabriel PIO was the winner. The rider of the n°11 bike managed to hold off the repeated assaults of Matteo BERGER at the end of the race, who finished second ahead of Florian FRANÇOIS, 3rd.
In Moto 5, Teddy QUENEHEN (Erdog – Bridgestone) won ahead of Romeo MONEYRON (Fulgur – Bridgestone) in second and Elliott CARVALHO (Fulgur – Bridgestone) completed the podium.
SIDE-CAR
RACE 1: SECOND WIN OF THE SEASON FOR LEGLISE / DRUEL
It was the n°41 team of WYSSEN / SALMON who got off to the best start and took the lead of the race ahead of PEUGEOT / PEUGEOT (F600), second, who relegated poleman LEGLISE / DRUEL (F600) to 3rd position at the very end of the first lap. Behind this top 3, the short chassis of PALACOEUR / CESCUTTI was 4th and BARBIER / RIGONDEAU (F600) completed the top 5.
A leading pack clearly separated itself from the rest of the race, led by WYSSEN / SALMON, followed by LEGLISE / DRUEL and PEUGEOT / PEUGEOT, all within 2 seconds of each other. The LEGLISE / DRUEL duo didn’t let this tricky start get them down and gradually increased the pace in the laps that followed, until they took the lead. He came in ahead of brothers Ted and Vincent PEUGEOT, second, and WYSSEN / SALMON, 3rd, who were slightly further back. PALACOEUR / CESCUTTI were first in the F2 category in 4th position and looked capable of breaking into the top 3. They kept the pair BARBIER / RIGONDEAU, 5th, at bay.
With just a few laps to go, the positions remained unchanged despite repeated attacks by the N°74 PEUGEOT / PEUGEOT side to seize the lead. LEGLISE / DRUEL held out until the finish line and went on to win. PEUGEOT / PEUGEOT came a distant second ahead of WYSSEN / SALMON, who was unable to keep pace with the leaders and finished 3rd. In 4th position, PALACOEUR / CESCUTTI was first in the F2 category, ahead of BARBIER / RIGONDEAU, 5th and LEGUEN / ROUBY, 6th.
The F2 class was led by PALACOEUR / CESCUTTI, followed by NODELFER / BONNOT (F2), 7th overall and BERGEON / COLOMBIN (F2), 9th.
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