Source: WorldSBK.com

In the pouring rain at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours it was Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) who scored the win in Race 1 of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, making it another BMW success story despite the absence of his teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu. Van der Mark is a highly accomplished wet weather rider and he mastered the difficult conditions at the Motul French Round for the victory, with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) celebrating as he crossed the line second, 8.288s behind the race Dutchman, having started 17^th on the grid.

PETRUCCI COMPLETES PODIUM: a treacherous race for the riders

More than 24 seconds after rain-master Van der Mark had taken the chequered flag Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) crossed the line in third, with only 12 riders finishing the race as the heavy rain poured down at Magny-Cours. The race had started in mixed conditions with many of the riders on slick tyres and only a few electing to start on intermediates, with the survivors all switching to full wet set-ups, the majority pitting in on laps 3 to 5 as the heavens opened and the racing surface became sodden.

FIRST LAP DRAMA: Bulega and Rea go down

Simultaneous crashes for Championship contender Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) on the chicane at the end of the first lap brought the race to an early end for both riders. Rea was transported to hospital with a fracture of the right thumb and a deep wound, whilst Bulega sustained right shoulder and collarbone contusions, with both to be assessed further before Warm Up on Sunday morning. Rea’s Pata Prometeon Yamaha teammate Andrea Locatelli then crashed on Turn 5 of lap 3, though the Italian was able to remount and continue his race, eventually finishing in eighth.

REDDING PICKS IT UP FOR FOURTH: BMW rider overcomes crash

Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) had pitted on lap 4 and then crashed from a top ten position on wet tyres on lap 9 at Turn 5, but he was able to pick his BMW M 1000 RR up to bring it home in fourth place, ahead of Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) in fifth. In the absence of standings leader Razgatlioglu it was a chance for the rest of the grid to fight for victory, following the Turkish star’s remarkable 13-race winning run coming into Round 8. Razgatlioglu watched the race in his pitbox after being ruled out of action with mild traumatic pneumothorax, after his heavy Free Practice 2 crash on Friday.

HONDA PAIR IN TOP TEN: Lecuona promoted to sixth

Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) finished seventh but was promoted to sixth as his colleague Xavi Vierge was given a penalty for being under the pit intervention time when he had changed tyres. Locatelli in eighth and his compatriots Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) and Alessandro Delbianco (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) completed the top ten. It was a solid performance for Delbianco as he substituted for Dominique Aegerter.

HIGH ATTRITION RATE: crashes throughout the field

Behind 11^th place finisher Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) was the last rider to finish, in 12^th place. On intermediate tyres Gerloff had taken the lead on lap 4 at Turn 5, only for him to crash at Turn 7 three laps later. In the wet conditions Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) crashed out of the lead on lap 11, rejoining in seventh place. Lowes then had to retire from fifth on lap 16 due to a loose fairing which was hanging off the side of his Kawasaki ZX-10RR. His brother Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) crashed out of the top ten with 4 laps to go, with Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) going down seconds later.

The top six from WorldSBK Race 1, full results here:

1. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)

2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +8.288s

3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +24.285s

4. Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) +34.037s

5. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +42.108s

6. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +50.799s

Fastest lap: Andrea Locatelli (Yamaha) – 1’42.753s

Next up in France is the Superpole Race on Sunday at 11:00 Local Time (UTC +1), watch the action live with the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 50% off!

Source: WorldSBK.com

With only 12 riders finishing the rain-impacted MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship Race 1 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours on Saturday afternoon, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was one of the many victims of the conditions.

Lowes unfortunately crashed when leading ahead of eventual race winner Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) on lap 11 and although he was able to re-join in seventh place and battle on, he was forced to retire from fifth on lap 16, with a loose fairing hanging dangerously off the side of his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.

Summarising his thoughts on the start of the race Lowes stated, “From my point of view, I felt quite good. Everybody was looking at the weather, the clouds, trying to understand what was happening. We ran with the slick tyres as I felt like the track was quite good on the out lap. From the first lap, I felt strong, and I was able to get to the front and be there against the guys on the intermediate tyres.”

Running at the front from the beginning Lowes had looked in great shape both before and after the rain came and a tyre change became inevitable. He explained, “When it went to wets, I still felt quite good on the bike. When I was behind Mickey, I was struggling with the visibility. There was so much spray, I was struggling to feel comfortable, so I dropped back a little bit.”

“Then I decided to try to go in front. I felt quite good, like I was a bit quicker, and honestly, it’s a case of the punishment doesn’t quite fit the crime. It’s easy afterwards for the guys who didn’t make mistakes to say, ‘I knew the limit’. I felt I was riding okay but maybe on that lap, in that corner, I was obviously going too fast. It’s such a fine line when conditions are slippery like that.”

Despite the disappointment the Kawasaki rider was quick to congratulate the Race 1 winner, saying of his former colleague’s victory, “Well done to Mickey. We’re quite close friends off the track and we were teammates at Yamaha. He’s had a tough few years. People don’t realise that if you go through the injuries he’s gone through, it’s easy to get people down. I’m happy to see him back on the top step. He deserves it.”

Will Lowes’ luck improve on Sunday? Follow all the WorldSBK action from France using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 50% off!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) made a long-awaited return to the top step of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with victory in Race 1 at the Motul French Round. He timed his switch to full wet tyres to perfection at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours and, despite pressure from Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), held on to claim BMW’s 14 win in a row.

The Dutchman started from fifth place on the grid using Pirelli’s front SC1 and rear SCX tyres, using that to great effect in the drier parts of the race. With the rain coming down even harder, van der Mark opted to switch his slicks for the full wet tyres on Lap 4 and came out with Lowes, who had pitted on the same lap. The duo were fighting over second place as Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) had opted to stay out on his intermediate tyres but he crashed from P1 at Turn 7 on Lap 7, handing the lead to Lowes and van der Mark.

Van der Mark was running in P2 when his former Yamaha teammate crashed at Turn 13, handing van der Mark the lead by almost 10 seconds ahead of Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who started from 17^th and pitted a lap earlier than the BMW star. It meant van der Mark’s wait for a podium and win ended as he came home in first place, 1070 days on from his last win at Portimao in a wet Tissot Superpole Race.

Discussing his win, van der Mark said: “It feels unreal. It’s been a tough couple of years. I think this year’s been going better and better, and my goal was to be on the podium. To win here is fantastic. I made the wrong decision! We agreed with the team that as soon as it started raining, I’d come into pit. I was behind Alex, and if you see him going, you think you can do another one. I think I should’ve come in earlier. When it was raining and I was on slicks, it was very, very tricky. This is what was flag-to-flag racing is all about and, after that, I didn’t make a mistake. It was nice but a tough race.”

Van der Mark’s win came off the back of a victory streak of 13 races for the German manufacturer, but all of those – and, in fact, all of BMW’s podiums this season – had come from Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). With ‘El Turco’ ruled out of action after his Free Practice 2 crash, van der Mark continued BMW’s winning streak in style as he took his first win in more than 1,000 days and his first full-length win since 2019.

Giving BMW’s immediate reaction, van der Mark’s Crew Chief, Marcus Eschenbacher said in the pit lane: “It’s perfect him. He did a super job; the team did a super job. Thanks to Toprak’s side, the team is unbelievable and we, altogether, brought him back. Step by step, we’ll see him strong. It’s perfect. Michael is good in the wet and he’s back to the sort of level of 2021 again.”

Can van der Mark repeat his success on Sunday? Follow all the WorldSBK action from France using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 50% off!

Source: WorldSBK.com

A fantastic Race 1 in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship class at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours saw Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team) take the first victory of his career. It was a difficult race in mixed conditions for the WorldSSP300 riders at the Motul French Round and Calatayud kept cool to come out on top in a five rider battle on the final lap, with brothers Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse) and Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) making history for Indonesia, in second and third, as Mahendra took the championship lead.

FIVE RIDER BATTLE: drama on the last lap

Calatayud’s winning margin over Mahendra was finally 0.77s, but it was an exciting fight for the win on the last lap, as the Spaniard’s late manoeuvre gave him a deserved maiden victory. Mahendra and Pratama made it a double podium result for Indonesia for the first time ever, whilst it was also an all Yamaha lock-out in the top three. Also playing their parts in an enthralling race were double World Champion Jeffrey Buis (KTM Freudenberg-Paligo Racing) and Humberto Maier (MS Racing), who were ultimately fourth and fifth respectively.

BUIS & MAIER: playing their part in the spectacle

Buis had held the early race lead, but dropped back mid race, storming forwards again to take the lead at the start of the final lap, before an error cost him a podium finish. Maier rode superbly from the sixth row on the grid making his way through the pack to join the action at the head of the race and with four laps to go he was controlling the race in the lead, only to miss out on a rostrum finish in the late drama.

IGLESIAS IN SEVENTH: title-race shake-up

Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PL Performances) finished in sixth place, 1.519s down on winner Calatayud, whilst title contender Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) was seventh. The top ten was completed by Julio Garcia (KOVE Racing Team), Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) and Phillip Tonn (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing)

VENEMAN OUT OF THE POINTS: tough day for the Dutchman

The standings leader before the race Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) ended up in P16, after crashing on the first lap, with Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) having to take avoiding action and Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) also crashing in the incident. It was a difficult afternoon for Marc Garcia as a technical issue on the sighting lap meant he had started from the back of the grid, though he did manage to pick up two points in 14^th. Amongst those who also suffered crashes in the treacherous conditions were Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) who went down on lap 2, Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) who crashed at the end of the third lap and Gustavo Manso (AD78 FIM LA by MS Racing) who crashed out of the points at Turn 8 with 4 laps to go.

The top six from WorldSSP300 Race 1, full results here:

1. Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team)

2. Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) +0.770s

3. Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) +1.022s

4. Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing) +1.192s

5. Humberto Maier (MS Racing) +1.309s

6. Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PL Performances) +1.519s

Fastest lap: Unai Calatayud, Yamaha – 2’04.139s

Make sure you tune in for Race 2 on Sunday at 12:45 Local Time (UTC +1), using the WorldSBK VideoPass – NOW HALF PRICE!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) returned to pole position in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship after a long wait, setting a new record in the process, as he beat his rivals by 0.772s at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. The #22 was the only rider in the 1’51s bracket as riders secured their Race 1 and Tissot Superpole Race grid slots, and his pole position set a new record: the longest gap between first and second poles at 6 years, 4 months and 17 days, beating Marco Melandri’s record by 15 days.

THE START OF THE SESSION: aiming for a banker lap…

Rain had continued to fall between Free Practice 3 and Superpole and everyone took to the circuit on wet tyres. The first laps would prove to be crucial as the rain got heavier, with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) setting a 1’54.167s to lead Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) more than six tenths back, although a crash at Turn 5 on his second flying lap disrupted his session. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) then took his turn at the top to set a 1’53.948s, the first rider into the 1’53s.

SECURING A FRONT ROW START: Lowes’ wait ends in style, Bulega P2 despite crash

Riders continued to circulate despite the rain, with most opting to complete just one stint. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) moved into P1 with a 1’51.946s, a huge seventh tenths clear of Bulega in second who crashed at Turn 5 in the final five minutes. The Brit’s time remained unbeatable to claim his first pole since Assen 2018, a wait of 2,331 days, while Bulega secured second despite his Turn 5 fall. The front row will be completed by Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) after the #45 set a 1.52.799s for his first top-three Superpole result since the 2022 French Round.

A STRONG DAY FOR BMW: three bikes in the top five

Three BMW riders were in the top five in the results with Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) claiming fourth, just over a second behind Lowes, with Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in fifth, half-a-second down on BMW stablemate Gerloff. Honda had representation in the top six with Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) putting in a late lap in to move into P6 with a 1’53.834s, around three tenths back from van der Mark.

A SEASON-BEST FOR BASSANI: P7 for ‘El Bocia, Petrucci in the top ten after early crash

Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) secured his best Kawasaki Superpole result with seventh place, although he was almost two seconds down on his teammate, with Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) leading teammate Andrea Locatelli in eighth and nine; the #65 held a three-tenth margin over ‘Loka’. Petrucci completed the top ten despite his early crash, with the Italian returning to the track in the final five minutes.

BAUTISTA LANGUISHING IN P17: work to do for the #1, best of 2024 for Mackenzie

Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) claimed his best WorldSBK Superpole result with 11^th, just a tenth away from ‘Petrux’ in tenth. It was a strong session for another Brit, Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team), in 12^th as they mastered some perhaps familiar conditions. Elsewhere, reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will have to start Race 1 from 17^th after a tricky session for the #1; his best time was a 1’56.630s.

There were crashes for Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) at Turn 15 and Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) at Turn 5. They claimed 20^th and 21^st in Superpole.

The top six from WorldSBK Superpole, full results here:

1. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’51.946s

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.772s

3. Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) +0.853s

4. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +1.081s

5. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +1.533s

6. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) +1.888s

Don’t miss any action from WorldSBK Race 1 at 14:00 Local Time (UTC+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now HALF PRICE!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Light rain was falling at the start of Free Practice 3 for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship which limited running considerably at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. Very few riders set a lap time, with none of them representative, as Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) claimed top spot. He was just 0.127s clear of Petrucci as Day 2 of the Motul French Round got underway.

With rain greeting the field, initially in the final sector four before spreading over the circuit, there were no representative times in the 20-minute session. A handful of riders, including Friday pacesetter Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), ventured out as soon as the session started, although all immediately returned to the pits without setting a lap time. With around 12 minutes remaining, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) went on track, followed shortly after by Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).

Rinaldi set the first lap of the session with a 1’51.343s before improving by a huge four seconds to a 1’47.985s although drops of rain started to fall again in sector four, which the #21 unable to improve his time any further. A few minutes on and rain was reported in all sectors again, although Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) posted a 1’53.173s to move into second place before improving to a 1’48.112s.

In the final minute of FP3, several riders posted lap times that didn’t trouble Rinaldi’s time, with Petrucci securing second ahead of Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was fourth with Alessandro Delbianco, Ivo Lopes (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) and Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) completing the field of seven riders who set a lap time.

The top six from WorldSBK FP3, full results here:

1. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) ‘147.985s

2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.127s

3. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +3.3692s

4. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.726s

5. Alessandro Delbianco (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Tram) +8.566s

6. Ivo Lopes (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) +13.724s

Watch WorldSBK Tissot Superpole from 11:00 Local Time (GMT+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Italy’s Alessandro Di Persio has secured his first Yamaha FIM R3 bLU cRU World Cup pole position at the penultimate round of the season in Magny-Cours, France. Fellow title contenders Marc Vich and Eduardo Burr completed the front row.  

There were a few damp patches when the R3 riders took to the track in the morning’s Free Practice session, but the youngsters used it to gain experience with mixed weather conditions expected for Race 1 on Saturday. It was Spain’s Vich who had the early pace, setting a time +0.947 seconds faster than his rivals – this was made more impressive by the fact the 18-year-old lapped alone for the entire session. Local star Dorian Joulin placed second in the morning and Japan’s Shoma Yamane rounded out the Top 3. Title contender Gonzalo Sanchez was seventh fastest as he got to grips with the unfamiliar circuit.

In the Superpole session it was all change as Vich, who had been leading the way, lost out at the last moment to Di Persio who took over pole position by the tiny margin of just +0.017. Close behind the pair in third was Burr, +0.185 from the top. Sanchez found his feeling and finished Superpole in fifth, he is joined on the second row by Yamane and Cameron Swain.

Just 51 points separate the Top 5 in the title chase, with Sanchez and Vich split by only 10 points. Watch every moment of thrilling Race 1 action on the Yamaha Racing YouTube channel LIVE at 11:50 CET.

FULL RESULTS – R3 bLU cRU – FREE PRACTICE

FULL RESULTS – R3 bLU cRU – SUPERPOLE

Alessandro Di Persio: “It was a very difficult Superpole, it was tricky to take the slipstream and to set a fast lap. This morning I concentrated on Free Practice to try and find the best possible feeling and setup with my bike, and in the end this paid off. I managed to set a very strong lap in Superpole, and then I tried to improve it but there was a lot of wind and it wasn’t possible. However, this pole position, my first, is very nice. I think there will be a lot of riders in the main group tomorrow, and I simply plan to do my best. I’d like to say a big thank you to Yamaha and to my team AG Motorsport.”

Source: WorldSBK.com

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will take no further part in the Motul French Round after his crash during Free Practice 2 for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The 2021 Champion crashed at Turn 14, heading into Turn 15, on his first timed lap in the 45-minute session which briefly brought out the red flags. He was taken to the medical centre and diagnosed with a back contusion, before being transported to hospital for further assessments. Following those evaluations, the #54 has been ruled out of action with mild traumatic pneumothorax.

Razgatlioglu had laid down his marker in Free Practice 1 by posting the fastest time with a 1’36.347s, one of only two riders in the 1’36s bracket and more than three tenths clear of his nearest rivals. He had a delayed start to FP2 but looked rapid on his first flying lap as he set three red sectors – faster than anyone in that session – before his crash in the final sector. 

A statement from BMW read: “ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK rider Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) has to sit out the remainder of the eighth round of the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at Magny-Cours (FRA). Following his heavy crash in Free Practice 2 and medical checks in Moulins hospital, he has been declared unfit by the WorldSBK medical team for the rest of the weekend.”

“The entire BMW Motorrad Motorsport family wishes Toprak a very speedy recovery,” said Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport. “After his great success this is obviously a setback, but health is the most important thing. We are looking forward to having him back at the racetrack as soon as possible. An update on his recovery will follow at the given time.”

Source: WorldSBK.com

Following this week’s news of the renewal of World Champion Alvaro Bautista’s contract with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati for 2025 the Spaniard arrived at this week’s Motul French Round in great spirits and a light crash in FP2 did not dampen his mood on Friday. Bautista finished the afternoon practice in France in sixth place and was P7 on the combined timesheets after the first day at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. He trailed Friday’s fastest rider Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) by 0.758s and was just over sixth tenths off the pace of his Ducati colleague Nicolo Bulega, who was second quickest in free practice.

Nonetheless, Bautista is positive about whatever comes his way this weekend. Asked if the recent improved feeling that he has expressed noting at the last two rounds is still with him at Magny-Cours, Bautista answered, “Yes for sure, this morning straight away I felt the same feeling as I felt at Portimao and Most, only the tyres were different. But in FP2 I started and I felt suddenly very, very good on the bike, so I’m happy about that. It’s a bit of a pity because we didn’t find an improvement with the changes we tried but it’s normal. You make some changes sometimes and you don’t always find what you hope for. But I’m happy with the feeling that I had with the bike.”

Playing down his FP2 crash, the double WorldSBK title winner stated, “I was feeling good, good pace and good feeling with the bike. Then was the practice was stopped we made some adjustments on the rear of the bike, but I didn’t like it and in fact I crashed on Turn 8. But it was an easy crash, no problems for me.”

Looking ahead to what Saturday and Sunday may bring, if it rains at Magny-Cours, Bautista is upbeat about his prospects. “It’s a bit unpredictable so we have to see and we have to adapt to the conditions. For sure in the wet it would be a challenge for everybody, because for a couple of years it hasn’t rained, so it will be new for everybody at Magny-Cours,” he added. “We have to prepare for all situations and do out best. I think in the wet I have felt less differences than in the dry, because in the end in the wet you can’t push to the limits like in the dry so it’s more the feeling you have with the bike that allows you to push more. So I think in the wet the new regulations could effect things less than in the dry.”

On the other side of the factory Ducati pitbox, Bulega explained his Friday feelings, stating positively, “I feel good because honestly sometimes on my first day at a new track with this bike it is a bit difficult, like at Most and Donington where I was struggling a little bit more on the first day. Then step-by-step I was getting faster. Today I already started well, because I felt good on the bike from the first laps. So I’m happy and I’ll try to improve again tomorrow.”

Giving his assessment of his potential this weekend at Round 8 of 2024, the 2023 WorldSSP Champion admitted: “Honestly I don’t know. I always try to do my best when I jump on the bike and I go at my maximum so I will try to do the same as I’ve done all year. I’ll try to fight for the podium if I can.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com