The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has rolled around to the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours and, even before the track action has started, the fighting talk’s got underway. There’s chat about several topics, including contract renewals, comebacks from injury and a lot more. Sit back and enjoy the best quotes from Thursday in France…

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I’m a better, more complete rider, so I feel that I can show more…”

Reflecting on his renewal with Ducati and discussing whether retirement was an option, Bautista said: “It’ll be a pleasure to keep racing next year in WorldSBK with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati. It was my wish, especially after Most, where I started to feel good on the bike again; very similar to last year, we found something that helped us to be competitive again. At Portimao, the feeling was really good. I’m really happy to keep racing because I feel quite strong physically but also mentally and I can be competitive. I’m not here to just fill a place on the grid; I’m here to be competitive. The day I don’t have this feeling, I will retire. I thought about retirement. Especially with my injury and the feeling I had in the first few tests I had with the bike; I couldn’t ride without pain. I started to sleep well practically from June or July, so it was really hard to recover from the injury. Retirement was there. I started to recover and feel better. Many combinations pushed me to think about retirement. We fought, we got over the adversities and now I feel like I improved; I’m a better rider, more complete rider so I feel that I can show more. Without any new parts, I think with the bike we had at Portimao, we can improve in some areas that will help us to be a bit better. In terms of results, I don’t have any clear targets. It’s more important to ride the bike as I want, force the bike to get to the limit. If I can do it, the result will be good because the result is a consequence of the work, the feeling.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “I’m very happy for Bautista; I’ve had good fights with him”

Discussing his aims for Magny-Cours and Bautista’s renewal, Razgatlioglu said: “This track is my favourite track and I’ll never forget 2019, because it was the best race in my career! I started 16^th and won the race, this is incredible. In general, we are very strong here. I’ll try my best again with BMW. At Portimao, I was just focused on the record because I wanted a new one! Now, I’m not focused on it, I’m just trying to enjoy it and ride the bike. This weekend could be difficult with the weather. If it starts to rain, and we ride in wet conditions, I need to win because I’ve never won in the World Championship in wet conditions; if I do, it’ll be the first time for me! I’m very happy for Bautista. He’s a very strong and experienced rider. I know him and he’s very strong, he’s coming back very strong. Next year, we’ll ride again with him. I’m very happy for this because I had good fights with him, especially last year. In general, I’m very happy that he’s staying another year.”

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I’d really like to have another win… it’d be a dream”

Bulega: “I won both races here in WorldSSP last year. It’ll be different, another category and a lot of different things. I feel good. At Portimao, I was close to winning but if I have to check the situation very well, Toprak didn’t have the wing so, for sure, his bike was not in the best condition. I don’t know if, in reality, I was so close. I will try to stay in the top positions. I’d really like to have another win before the end of the season. I won the race, and then second places which is a great result because I’m in my first year, but I’d like to win again. This is my target. My team is working hard. It would be a dream. It’s good news for me because I have a great relationship with Alvaro. I learn a lot of things from him every weekend. I check his data every session.”

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “It’s going to be a tough weekend… lots of fast guys”

On his prospects at Magny-Cours, Alex Lowes said: “I’m feeling quite good. We had a good weekend at Portimao, and this is a track I enjoy. I like the layout; I think it’s a nice track to ride and the Kawasaki is strong here. We need to do a lot of hard work on Friday. It’s so close in WorldSBK, every weekend you need to be feeling good from the first laps. The weather at Magny-Cours is always changing so I need to make sure I’m on top of the weather. It’s going to be a tough weekend with a lot of fast guys, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. I think we have some good tracks. I like Aragon and Jerez, Estoril’s a quirky little fun track. I will try to do my best every weekend. If I can be consistent, try to improve my speed a little bit, fight for podiums and try to win a race before the end of the year, then who knows? As long as I do my best every weekend, it’s all I can do.”

Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team): “Never nice to watch the races from home… I rode at Misano last week, it was pretty good”

Previewing his comeback from injury, Sam Lowes said: “I’m really happy to be back. It’s never nice to watch the races from home and I feel good. I rode at Misano last week on the training bike and it was pretty good. Maybe I’m missing a tiny bit of power because without riding the bike, it’s difficult to do all the right muscles. I’ve got really nice memories of my time in WorldSSP here at Magny-Cours. It’s a circuit where I managed to clinch the title. I’ve always enjoyed it in the past and I’m looking forward to getting started. The character of the track is that you have to be pretty precise, I won’t say like the British tracks, but maybe more in that direction. With five rounds to go, I’ve learnt a lot. It’s been a good summer for me to evaluate and improve in some areas. I’m still missing that last bit of riding the Superbike properly, I keep falling back into that Moto2™ style a little bit so my goal is to ride the bike in a better way, brake better and fight near the front.”

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team): “There are at least 10 riders who can fight for the podium… I’d really like to have Alvaro’s strength at almost 40!”

Aiming for the rostrum, Petrucci stated: “It’ll be really cool to see if we can keep this good performance as we did at Portimao. It was a difficult race for us last year, but maybe the best one this year. Regarding Magny-Cours, last year was okay so I’m expecting to be competitive this weekend. The target is to fight for the podium, as always, which isn’t always easy! There are at least 10 riders who can fight for the podium and only three places. As we showed at Portimao, we can fight for the lead. I think we’re in a good shape and positive trend. What I need is to be calm and focused on the races, and in this team, I can find peace and calm when we work. I always said that I have huge respect for Alvaro because I’d really like to have his strength at almost 40 years old! He’s training like he’s 20.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The pieces of the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid are slowly falling into place, but several big-name riders still don’t have anything confirmed beyond this season. Speaking at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours ahead of the Motul French Round, Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW), Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) all spoke about their WorldSBK future.

REDDING: “I’m feeling good with where I am and with BMW, so I’m just waiting to see an outcome”

Redding arrived in WorldSBK with much fanfare in 2020 and was fighting for the title in both 2020 and 2021, taking multiple victories and more often than not standing on the podium. The #45 moved to BMW for 2022 and has spent three seasons in either the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team or Bonovo Action BMW squad since, claiming three podiums for the German manufacturer. In France, the Brit revealed there’d been no updates on his future.

“It’s the same as when you asked me last time,” Redding started. “There’s been no forward progress, should we say, at the moment. I’m feeling good where I am and with BMW, so I’m just waiting to see an outcome at the moment. Time is ticking, which isn’t good, especially looking at the scenario. I’m doing the best I can and this weekend, I’d like to get some more results that will maybe help me with my future. The thing is we know I have a contract. My aim and reality is to stay here in WorldSBK with BMW. There’s not much more I can tell you.”

IANNONE: “The most important choice I’ll make in my life about my career…”

Iannone said: “Nothing so different from Portimao but, for sure, I thought a lot about my future. It’s not easy to make that choice. I analysed every detail because I think it’s the most important choice I’ll make in my life about my career. I think, in the next two or three years, I have the chance to fight for the Championship and I want to arrive ready for this. I need a little bit more time.”

When asked whether his future was a choice between his current Team GoEleven outfit or GRT Yamaha, Iannone stated: “GoEleven, Yamaha, never say never. I don’t know. Anything in life is possible.”

RINALDI: “This weekend, we will talk with some people… the idea is to continue in WorldSBK”

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) linked up with the Independent Motocorsa Ducati outfit for 2024, hoping to keep fighting for the rostrum as he and the team have done in recent seasons. Unfortunately for team and rider, it hasn’t worked out like that, and Rinaldi hasn’t signed with the team, or another outfit, for 2025.

On his future, Rinaldi stated: “No news yet. As soon as I have it, I’ll speak. This weekend, we will talk with some people but there’s no news yet. The idea is to continue in WorldSBK, but I’m also considering other options. The main goal is stay in this Championship. There are a few options, but I want to be able to back in good positions. 50-50 on next year.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in France will host the penultimate round of the 2024 FIM Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup where the Top 5 in the standings are separated by just 51 points with 100 left to play for.

Last time out at Donington Park in July the two thrilling races left Spanish rivals Gonzalo Sanchez and Marc Vich split by just ten points. A Race 1 victory for Vich was followed up with second place in Race 2, while his season-long opponent and class rookie Sanchez could only manage third and fifth on the unfamiliar circuit.

Improving round-by-round, Italy’s Alessandro Di Persio took his maiden win at Donington Park and moved into title contention at just 37 points down on leader Sanchez. Poland’s Dawid Nowak, fresh from winning his national championship, sits 44 points behind thanks to his consistency while Brazil’s Eduardo Burr is 51 points from the top.

Situated in central France the Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours has hosted motorsport events for more than 60 years and the track provides a great variety of fast and sweeping sections mixed with tighter corners. The early autumn weather could prove a challenge for the young riders with rain predicted during the race weekend. 

Follow every moment of the FIM Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup races live on the Yamaha Racing YouTube channel at 11:50 CET on Saturday 8^th and Sunday 9^th September.

Source: WorldSBK.com

MotoGP™ rights holder Dorna Sports and the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) are delighted to announce an extension of their long-term agreement securing the promotion rights for all Dorna-run FIM World Championships until 2060. The continuation of this successful partnership guarantees unparalleled value, continuity, and opportunity for MotoGP™ in a rapidly evolving global sporting landscape.

Dorna first secured the promotion rights of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship in 1992. Together, the partnership has expanded the success and popularity of the sport for fans around the world and continues to do so, with MotoGP™ enjoying an impressive trajectory of global growth over recent seasons. 

Working in tandem with the teams’ association (IRTA) and the manufacturers association (MSMA), the partnership between the FIM and Dorna underpins an enviable ecosystem within MotoGP™, built on an unrivalled level of consensus that puts the sport first.

In addition to its successes in driving the global growth of MotoGP™, the partnership has also expanded the popularity and reach of motorcycle racing around the world – from grassroots to the highest levels of professional competition. FIM World Championships considered under this agreement, including the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship since 2015, the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship since 2019, the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship since 2019 and the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship since 2023, can now look forward to many more years of success thanks to this extension.

Jorge Viegas, President of the FIM said: “This is an incredibly important moment and one that provides long term clarity and security regarding the pinnacle of motorcycle sport. This is not only important for all those directly involved in MotoGP™, but also for the wider motorcycle racing community that reaps the benefits from the global status, value and presence of this leading series. 

“The ongoing and ever closer collaboration between the FIM, Dorna Sports and the other key stakeholders is something that has been built over many years, the trust and co-operation that now exists alongside this long-term agreement offer great foundations for the future development of MotoGP™ plus all the related championships. On behalf of the FIM, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude for the work that Dorna Sports has done since 1992 and look forward with great confidence to combining our efforts to ensure the continued growth and success of MotoGP™ for many more years to come.”

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP™ rights holder Dorna Sports added: “We’re very proud to announce this agreement with the FIM. It is fantastic news for the sport, and our fans around the world, that this partnership is guaranteed to continue. We have built something truly special and will continue to grow the sport even further, working together.

“Being able to come to such a long-term agreement adds incredible value for MotoGP. In the sports and entertainment landscape of today, the level of consensus we enjoy in MotoGP is something we’re privileged to be part of, and it lays fantastic foundations for our sport to continue its trajectory of growth. We want to thank the FIM for their support and we look forward to making MotoGP even bigger and better than ever as we continue our partnership.”

Source: WorldSBK.com

A few weeks on from the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s sunset showdown at Portimao, it’s time for the Motul French Round at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. Ahead of the action heating up on track, check out the key numbers from previous visits to Magny-Cours so you have all the information you need…

2023 race winners:

• Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha: Race 1, Tissot Superpole Race)

• Alvaro Bautista (Ducati: Race 2)

Last three pole-sitters at Magny-Cours:

• 2023: Garrett Gerloff (BMW) 1’35.453s
• 2022: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’36.124s
• 2021: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’35.683s

Manufacturer podium places (and wins) accumulated from all races at Magny-Cours:

• Ducati: 49 (19)
• Kawasaki: 34 (14)
• Yamaha: 32 (11)
• Aprilia: 11 (3)
• Honda: 10 (2)
• Suzuki: 7
• BMW: 4

Key gaps from Magny-Cours 2023:

• Front row covered by: 0.367s
• 1 second in Superpole covered… the top 10: 0.764s
• Closest race gap between 1st and 2nd: 0.970s (Razgatlioglu 1st, Bautista 2nd, Superpole Race)
• Closest race podium: 2.503s (Razgatlioglu 1st, Bautista 2nd, Rea 3rd, Superpole Race, 2023)
• Closest Magny-Cours podium of all-time: 0.412s (Toseland 1st, Haga 2nd, Corser 3rd, Race 1, 2006)

Manufacturer top speeds at Magny-Cours, 2023:

• Yamaha: Toprak Razgatlioglu – 298.3kph, Superpole
• Honda: Iker Lecuona, Xavi Vierge – 298.3kph, Free Practice 3
• BMW: Scott Redding – 296.7kph, Superpole
• Ducati: Alvaro Bautista – 296.7kph, Superpole
• Kawasaki: Alex Lowes – 294.2.7kph, Free Practice 1

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Source: WorldSBK.com

2024 FIM Supersport World Championship standings leader Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) will leave the team at the end of the season for a new adventure. The Spanish rider, who joined the Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team for 2024 and became a title contender in his first season on the Panigale V2, will take on a different challenge in 2025.

Huertas won the 2021 WorldSSP300 title before moving up to WorldSSP the following year, and he began to find his feet very quickly. He finished 12^th in the standings in both 2022 and 2023 and a move to Ducati followed for this season, transforming the #99 from a top-ten contender and just finishing off the podium into a regular on the rostrum. With five rounds and 10 races left, Huertas leads Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) my 20 point in the standings.

A statement from Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team said: “The collaboration between Adrian Huertas and the Aruba Racing WorldSSP team will end after the 2024 World Supersport Championship. During the current season, riding the Ducati Panigale V2, the Spanish rider, born in Parla (Madrid) on 21 August 2003, has scored 8 wins and 11 podiums, allowing him to lead the standings with 260 total points and 20 ahead of Yari Montella. The whole team would like to thank Adrian and wish him luck in his new adventure. However, there are still five rounds to go before we hug and say goodbye; for this reason, the whole team is driven to make every effort to try to get the most prestigious target at the end of this season and thus reap the benefits of the great work done together.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

With the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship about to start a frantic run-in, key personnel from the paddock spoke during the last round at Portimao about their seasons, challenges and more. After hearing from Team Manager Serafino Foti for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati outfit, now Ducati’s WorldSBK Technical Coordinator, Marco Zambenedetti, has given his thoughts on the Bologna-based manufacturer’s campaign and the next steps for riders Alvaro Bautista and Nicolo Bulega.

AN EXTRA CHALLENGE: new rules for 2024

One key aspect heading into 2024 was how the new rider weight rules would impact smaller riders, including Bautista, and Zambenedetti spoke about how Ducati faced this extra challenge with Bautista. He also stated that, while they seem to have found a solution for the reigning Champion from Most, more work needs to be done to ensure that’s the case.

He said: “This year, we faced this new challenge as Ducati with Alvaro having some ballast on the bike. We tried several configurations of ballast and, of course, every configuration needs its proper setting. We’ve learnt a lot compared to last year. For sure, some performances in some areas have been decreased because of the bike with more mass. We also learnt how big the impact of increasing the overall weight with this smaller rider. It seems, from Most, we have found something that gives Alvaro a better feeling. Now we’ve had a couple of rounds in this configuration and also with, let me say, special tyres. We are looking forward to seeing if this configuration will work with the standard Pirelli tyre allocations, also with the softer compound. We hope to have found our best configuration.”

DEVELOPING THROUGH 2024: “We need to go home at the end of the race and push our bike harder to the limit…”

Manufacturers are always looking to refine their package to find the smallest gains, and Ducati are no exception to this as they look to make their Panigale V4 R even quicker. Zambenedetti admitted that the competition level has increased this year due to various factors and that the Italian brand are working in a 360-degree way to find improvements.

Explaining the developments throughout 2024, Zambenedetti said: “This year, the new match of BMW with Toprak and the superconcessions introduced by other competitors – Kawasaki, BMW, Honda – increase the level of competition against us. We need to go home at the end of races and push our bike harder to the limit. We work in a 360-degree way on the overall bike development, especially on the engine side so we developed different exhausts for Nicolo, different ballast configuration for Alvaro, different electronic settings. We worked a lot on the engine mapping and we’re still working. We have a lot to do especially with the introduction of the E40 eco fuel and the reduction of the fuel tank which affects us. It’s an area where we never worked but we have to push until the last race of the season.”

POST FRANCE TEST: heading to Aragon, new parts to come?

A few days after the French Round, Ducati are one of a few outfits heading to MotorLand Aragon for testing. Zambenedetti revealed that there will be new components for Bautista and Bulega to try at the Spanish circuit, as they look to end the season on a high and take the fight to Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).

On testing and any potential new parts, Zambenedetti said: “For the last rounds, we would like to improve. For this reason, we have planned a test after Magny-Cours at Aragon to prepare for the race but also to test with both riders some parts, to try to improve the last part of the season. With Nicolo, we just started before Misano to adapt his riding position on the bike to optimise it. We have several components that we would like to test with him that could help him in the entry and corner speed. They’re chassis parts. We have something else in terms of engine that we need to prepare at home and propose to him. For this reason, at the Aragon test, we’d like to try some parts, trying to push as much as possible for the rest of the season.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship starts a run of five rounds in seven weeks at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, and it will be crucial for the WorldSBK stars to build momentum now to take into the end of the season. WorldSBK commentator Steve English gives his opinion on the state of play for riders heading into a frantic conclusion to 2024 starting with the Motul French Round.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP PICTURE: Razgatlioglu takes charge at the top

With five rounds to go, there are still 15 races and 310 points available before the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in 2024 draws to a close on October 20^th at Jerez. Technically it’s all to play for but realistically it’s a fight for second in the standings. That’s because Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) has been so dominant. 

The BMW superstar has asserted himself this year as WorldSBK’s brightest star and now the attention turns to the rest of the pack. Who can build momentum to mount a title challenge next year? Who has goals that they can meet in 2024? Who needs to find something to salvage their season?

BAUTISTA VS BULEGA: a subplot in 2024

Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) future is now confirmed, and the Spaniard will be back next year in Ducati red. It’s the best solution for the rider and team given all the success they’ve had together. Bautista is still the Ducati rider most likely to win races. This is still the case despite the fact that the double WorldSBK champion is 50 points behind his teammate in the standings.

Bautista versus Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) has been one of the subplots of the season. The Supersport World Champion has surprised everyone with his consistency and cool-headed approach to his rookie campaign. It’s been very impressive but in the final rounds of the year, he needs to win again. One win, on his debut, is a good rookie campaign but more wins would really cement his status with Ducati.

While Bautista has claimed two wins this year it’s not been enough to keep the wolf from the door. There’s a reason that his future is uncertain but the last two rounds showed a return to form. At the Czech Round in Most, Bautista looked happier on the bike. Last time out in Portimao it was an extension of that form. He put himself in position to win Race 2, but he tried to force the issue in the closing stages when he attacked and crashed. His return to winning ways will come soon.

CAN REA’S FIRST YAMAHA SEASON END ON A HIGH? The key to success for the #65

It seems, remarkably, that Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) is a man that can only dream of winning races in 2024. The switch to Yamaha has been a disaster with the six-time World Champion has finished on the podium just once. In the standings, he sits behind fellow Yamaha runners Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and the clock is ticking to find solutions.

Rea’s biggest issue has been his one lap speed during Superpole sessions. Qualifying down the order has seen Rea qualify on average on the fourth row of the grid. His speed is still there but finding a way to unlock that speed has been a massive challenge. Finding a way to get back in the top six regularly would be a solid end to the season for Rea.

REPLACING VS BEING TEAMMATES TO A CHAMPION: Alex Lowes and van der Mark’s contrasting tasks

The man who inherited Rea’s role as lead man for Kawasaki, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), needs to continue what he’s doing. Winning two races, regular podiums and critically minimal mistakes has made for his best WorldSBK campaign. He’s impressed everyone with the relationship he’s built with Pere Riba during their first year working together.

While Lowes had the unenviable job of replacing a legend Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) faces the task of being paired with one. The Dutchman, alongside Toprak at BMW, has had a solid season. Superpole crashes have held him back at two rounds but when he qualifies well he can race in the second group and fight for top five finishes. He has comfortably outperformed the other BMW riders this year.

LOOKING TO SECURE A RIDE: a key few rounds for Redding

While Bonovo Action BMW rider Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) has secured his future for next year his teammate, Scott Redding, is still a question mark. Michael Galinski has said he’d be interested in keeping Redding if a deal can be worked out and with the team likely to switch to Ducati machinery next year it could be a perfect opportunity for Redding. It would almost certainly be his last chance because this year has been incredibly difficult. A top five finish at Donington is the highlight but he’s had a BMW podium at Magny-Cours in the past…

While it’s easy to focus on Toprak and the title permutations in the coming rounds there are so many riders playing out their season with their own motivations to do well.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The second half of the 2024 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship season has erupted into life and after a change at the healm last time out, the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is set to bring another twist in the WorldSSP300 tale of 2024. With just 11 points covering the top three in the Championship and new contenders emerging at Portimao, could one of the most unpredictable circuits now welcome more surprises like years gone by, or will there be a crucial break up in the World Supersport 300 hegemony.

WorldSSP300’S TITANIC TRIO: Veneman takes over from Iglesias and Mahendra, 11 points cover 3

Stealing the show at Most with a double and now, stealing the Championship lead, Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) rolls into France and Magny-Cours with momentum. The 17-year-old’s shown phenomenal consistency in the last four races and that, along with bad luck for previous Championship leader Inigo Iglesias (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) has seen the pendulum swing. Magny-Cours brought Veneman’s first rostrum last year and he’ll be hoping to extend his run of form, whilst after a double DNF at Portimao, Iglesias needs a return to the fore to halt his main quarry’s spur in recent races. He’s strong at Magny-Cours and with double top ten finishes in the last two seasons, expect him be in the podium fight again. Ten points split the two, whilst Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) is one further back. He’s never been to Magny-Cours but he’d never been to Most before winning there last year…

IN CONTENTION, BECOMING CONTENDERS? New names enter wide-open title race

There aren’t many guarantees in WorldSSP300 but Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) winning at Portimao appears to be one of them; of his six career wins, five have occurred in the Algarve and last time out was no different as he doubled up to win his first races with Kawasaki. Now, he’s a solid fourth place in the Championship and with his feeling aboard the Kawasaki seemingly strong, he’ll be fast at Magny-Cours, having taken P2 last year from P13 on the grid. He’s 40 points away from his Championship leading teammate and going to try to become the first rider to win three WorldSSP300 races in a row. Marc Garcia (Kove Racing Team) has entered the WorldSSP300 ‘title contenders’ group chat too and 50 away from Veneman and arrives at a circuit where he’s won, whilst Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) lies sixth, remaining in the top six but becoming further adrift from Veneman. He’s three points ahead of Jeffrey Buis (KTM Freudenberg-Paligo Racing), a triple winner at Magny-Cours.

ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 10: Gaggi, Galang and Garcia go for gold                                                                                                                                       

There are a host of riders to keep an eye outside of the top ten, all eager to impress. Elia Bartolini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team) had his best weekend of his rookie year at Portimao with a double top five, whereas fellow rookie David Salvador (MS Racing) seeks a return to the top five at another new venue – his first top five came at Most, also new to him. Bruno Ieraci (Prodina Kawasaki Racing) can spring a surprise, as could Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) and Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team). Phillip Tonn (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) was strong at Portimao and has made a step, so with unpredictability always key, expect him to be a new name in the battle in the top ten. Finally, Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) will hope his fortunes change after a luckless 2024; he’s a Magny-Cours winner from 2022.

RIDER LINE-UP CHANGES: Di Sora switches to Kawasaki

With Petr Svoboda (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) still recovering from injuries sustained earlier in the year, the Fusport Kawasaki outfit have opted to bring in Samuel Di Sora, who was racing alongside Calatayud, with the Frenchman joining Inigo Iglesias. 13 of Di Sora’s 14 WorldSSP300 podiums have come on the Kawasaki Ninja 400.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heading to the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Pirelli have revealed their tyre solutions for the Motul French Round. There will be three development tyres in total for the WorldSBK field to potentially try, with two slick tyres and one rain tyre part of the new tyres alongside several standard solutions that the riders already know extremely well.

FRONT TYRE CHOICES: two standards, one development

For the front tyres in WorldSBK, the SC1 medium and SC2 hard are the standard solutions available. However, there is a third development solution – the D0715 medium, which uses the same compound as the standard but, with an evolution of the carcass, aims to provide greater stability and riding precision. With the possibility of rain always a factor at Magny-Cours, the wet-weather tyres are the standard intermediate and standard wet tyres.

REAR TYRE SELECTION: new SCX development, SCQ returns

At the rear, there are several choices for riders. The standard SCX and SC0 tyres are in the allocation, as is the SCQ which returns after not being available at Most and Portimao; its use is limited to the Tissot Superpole session and Tissot Superpole Race. Also available to riders is the D0820 development SCX tyre, which has the same structure as the standard SCX but features a new compound designed to offer greater wear resistance. In the event of rain, the standard intermediate and standard rain tyres are available along with the new development D0737 SCR1 rain tyre. It has a different structure and compound compared to the standard, designed to ensure greater stability in acceleration and expand the range of use and better consistency at higher temperatures.

WORLD SUPERSPORT OPTIONS: standard solutions are the name of the game

The WorldSSP field will also be in action in France, with Pirelli revealing the tyres available to the competitors. At the front, it’s the SC1 soft and SC2 medium tyre for dry weather running, while in the event of rain, the standard SCR1 wet tyre is available. At the rear, the standard SCX super soft is joined by the standard SC0 soft in the allocation, along with the standard SCR1 wet tyre if it does rain.

PIRELLI SAYS: “The smooth asphalt of the Nevers circuit is particularly important for the tyres…”

Explaining the allocation, Pirelli’s Motorcycle Racing Director, Giorgio Barbier, said: “Magny-Cours marks the halfway point of the season, a key moment for us to assess the progress, in terms of development, made so far and to plan the work in the second part of the Championship. The smooth asphalt of the Nevers circuit is particularly important for the tyres, as it offers little grip and amplifies the small differences in performance between the various specifications, thus providing us with valuable data. The new D0820 rear development solution has been designed to offer greater resistance to wear, thus compensating for the wear caused by spinning triggered by poor grip on the asphalt, while still offering riders sensations similar to those they are used to with the standard SCX in terms of performance. The new front solution, on the other hand, continues to pursue the goal of improving the stability of the SC1 family. Magny-Cours is also the ideal track to test the wet tyres, as in the event of rain the already poor grip of the surface is drastically reduced. The new D0737 specification of the rear SCR1 should offer greater stability in acceleration and a more consistent performance over a wider range of use than the standard version.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com