As the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season enters its final third, the setting for the next round is paradoxically the peaceful village of Magny-Cours. Located approximately 265 kilometers from Paris and some sixty kilometers from the Morvan Regional Natural Park, the circuit is nestled in the heart of rural France.
But make no mistake: every year since 2003, the Nièvre circuit has been ablaze with WorldSBK action. It's even among the top five circuits to have hosted the most races in the category. Topping the list is six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) with nine wins. Just behind him, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) could well overtake him, having already won eight races at this track. If he pulls off a hat-trick, the Turk would equal his own record of four consecutive hat-tricks, set last year, a feat no other rider has ever achieved in WorldSBK.
KEY BENDS: Magny-Cours under the microscope
At 4.4 km long and made up of 17 turns (eight left and nine right), the circuit offers a mix of fast curves and sharp braking. The layout opens with the large "Grande Courbe", followed by a slight left, then the long "Estoril" right, which forces drivers to open the throttle to gain speed towards the "Golf" curve.
This sector is Michael van der Mark's (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) favorite. The Dutchman triumphed last season in torrential conditions that put the field to the test. Only 12 riders made it to the finish line, but none of them prevented van der Mark from securing his second victory with BMW and his first podium in two years. "The circuit is very fluid," he confided. "Even with a few hairpins, it maintains this rhythm that makes it unique. I think that's why I've always been fast there. My favorite sector is the first: Turns 1, 2, and 3, which lead into the long straight, which isn't really straight. I like it, but honestly, I like the whole circuit."
The first major braking point comes at the "Adelaide" hairpin, a tight right-hander that brings the drivers back onto the opposite axis, before the "Nurburgring". Then comes the tight left-hander of the "180°". After a bumpy section (T9-T10), the track opens onto a straight before the "Imola" chicane (T12-T13). At the exit, there is another heavy braking point for the "Château d'Eau" (T14), followed by a fast bend before the final sequence: the "Lycée" hairpin (T15), the last real overtaking point, then the "Complexe du Lycée" chicane (T16-T17), which directs the drivers towards the finish line.
Van der Mark also reflects on his best memory: "I have many good memories of Magny-Cours, but 2024 remains the strongest. After so long without a podium, winning here was incredible. The race was very difficult, only 12 drivers finished, which shows the complexity of the conditions. It was special personally, but also a well-managed victory, without mistakes despite the difficulty."
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