Gordon Ritchie | September 29, 2017
WorldSBK: Jonathan Rea Fastest in WorldSBK On Friday
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) started his potentially historic weekend in France in perfect shape, setting the fastest Friday practice time at Magny-Cours. As he goes for his third world championship in succession this weekend, his start was textbook stuff in dry and relatively warm conditions at the 11th round of the season. He was fully 0.439 seconds from the next best rider.
A late push from Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) saw him finish second fastest with Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) third.
Multiple-race winner Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) put himself fourth pre-Superpole, while a very late charge from Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) allowed him into the upper echelons in fifth.
Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Ducati) placed sixth.
Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) went from a long-time second place to seventh, Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) was eighth and Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) ninth.
Returnee from injury, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) was third for a time but then dropped to 10th, for the last guaranteed automatic place in Superpole 2.
American Jake Gagne, filling in for the injured Stefan Bradl at Red Bull Honda, finished FP2 in 21st.
2017 French WorldSBK Friday Result
WorldSSP: Mahias Fastest After Double Stop
After two red flag stoppages for incidences of spilled oil, the second free practice session for the WorldSSP riders at Magny Cours was completed more than half-an-hour late.
Local rider Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) was clearly at the top of the opening day standings, fast from the outset after losing his championship lead at the previous round in Portugal. Mahias also spurred on at his home round, ended day one almost 0.6 seconds ahead of the rest.
After a crash because of the second oil spill of the session, and one near miss from another rider’s machine as he crashed just behind the Turkish superstar, Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was deprived of the chance to improve on his best time until near the very end. With his machine in the pits for repairs Sofuoglu had to wait until the last minutes to get back on track and had to remain second in the Friday rankings.
Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) placed third and Patrick Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) fourth.
Teammates Niki Tuuli (Kallio Race System Yamaha) and Sheridan Morais (Kallio Race System Yamaha) ended Friday fifth and sixth, with ESS part-time rider Alessandro Zaccone (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) seventh—and second best MV rider.
At home Jules Cluzel (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) was eighth. Michael Canducci (3570 Puccetti Racing FMI Kawasaki) qualified ninth and British rider Gino Rea (Team GO ELEVEN Kawasaki) tenth, despite being involved in one of the red flag incidents.
WorldSSP Superpole takes place on Saturday, with rainy conditions expected to arrive overnight to drive away the sunshine that graced the first day at Magny Cours.
2017 French WorldSSP Friday Result