The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s final race day at Magny-Cours will take place without six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), who fell at the last chicane on Lap 1 in Race 1 on Saturday. The #65 underwent surgery in Clermont-Ferrand on Saturday evening to repair a deep abrasion to his right thumb and has since returned to the track. A further update on his recovery will be issued ahead of the next round at Cremona, a new circuit on the calendar in 2024 in Italy.

Summarising his injury and thoughts from Magny-Cours, Rea stated: “Unfortunately my injury needed specialist attention and I had to have an emergency surgery to repair some damage in my right thumb. I will understand my recovery day by day, but I would just like to thank the track medics and especially Dr Antoine Martins for fixing me up. Thank you to all my team, my fans and all my sponsors that continue to support me in this tough period.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Australian rookie Cameron Swain took a stunning maiden win in a rain-soaked Race 1 at Magny-Cours, dominating to win by almost four seconds. Peruvian wildcard Aymon Bocanegra took second and Japan’s Takumi Takahashi completed the podium. The championship battle levels up with misfortune for Sanchez.

The predicted rain at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours arrived much earlier than expected and the Yamaha FIM R3 bLU cRU riders were faced with extremely difficult conditions for their first race of the weekend. Full wet Pirelli tyres were allocated for the 10-lap contest where Alessandro Di Persio started from pole. Brazil’s Eduardo Burr took the early lead, but he was one of many riders to fall foul of the slippery track; Dawid Nowak and Pietro Anastasi also failed to complete the first lap.

Desperate to try and increase his slim championship lead of 10 points, Gonzalo Sanchez made some early moves in the pack, but he fell on the second lap of the race and was unable to rejoin. Meanwhile, Marc Vich decided to ride for points, finishing sixth after a battle with Nikolas Zanin. This result puts the two Spanish rivals level on points going into tomorrow’s Race 2. Di Persio finished fourth, gaining important points and closing to just 24 points from the top.

Feeling comfortable on his R3 in the wet, Swain saw his opportunity to pull a gap on the pack. While many around him struggled, the 16-year-old rode flawlessly throughout the race, leading by 5.6 seconds at one point and eventually crossing the line 3.8 seconds ahead to take his maiden win. Last-minute wildcard Bocanegra impressed all onlookers with a first R3 World Cup podium in second, and Takahashi took his second rostrum of the season in third.

Race 2 of the FIM R3 bLU cRU World Cup will take place at 11:50 CET on Sunday September 8^th. Follow all the action live on the Yamaha Racing YouTube channel.

FULL RESULTS – R3 bLU cRU World Cup – RACE ONE 

Cameron Swain: “The conditions were super difficult and I saw that a few people were struggling a bit, but I felt alright so I wanted to take the opportunity to lead the race. Once I hit the front I just put my head down, built up the gap and managed the race as best I could – always keeping an eye on my pitboard. It’s been a tough season for me and so many sacrifices have gone into this win, somehow that makes it feel even sweeter. It’s a crazy feeling, I can’t describe it.”

Source: WorldSBK.com

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) returned to his team’s box on Saturday after being ruled out of the Motul French Round following his Free Practice 2 crash on Friday. The #54 was ruled out with mild traumatic pneumothorax but he was at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours on Saturday to watch teammate Michael van der Mark claim victory in a thrilling MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship race on Saturday.

Razgatlioglu had topped the Free Practice 1 times as he looked to extend his winning streak at a circuit he considers one of his favourites, and on his first flying lap in FP2, he had posted three red sectors as he went faster than anyone else. However, through Turn 14, the Turkish superstar came off his M 1000 RR and went through the gravel. He walked away from the scene before being taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with mild traumatic pneumothorax.

Discussing his recovery and when he plans to compete again, Razgatlioglu said: “I hope to be back in two weeks’ time in Cremona. We’ll have checks again, but I think it should be okay. We will see. I want to thank all the medical stuff at the track and in Moulins hospital. And I want to thank everybody for the many messages and best wishes. See you soon on track again!”

Razgatlioglu returning to the track meant he was on site to see teammate van der Mark end his win drought in an incredible flag-to-flag battle. The Dutchman won by more than eight seconds after switching from slicks to wets on Lap 4 and battled with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) until the #22 crashed from P1 at Turn 13. Razgatlioglu was on hand to see his teammate claim a long-awaited victory, 100 races on from his last.

“Michael did an incredible job today,” began Razgatlioglu when speaking about his teammate’s win. “He is always strong in wet conditions, and he showed that again. It was a fantastic ride. He did not take a risk; he was just riding smoothly and finally he got the deserved win. It’s a pity that I can’t take part in the races after my crash yesterday, but my recovery is the most important thing. This is what I focus on now.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) produced an epic ride to second place in the treacherous conditions at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours on Saturday afternoon in Race 1 of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. Having found the going tough in the rain in Superpole earlier in the day and after starting the race in 17^th place, he admitted he even surprised himself with his own strong pace when the rain came again in the afternoon.

The 2022 and 2023 WorldSBK title winner has recently expressed having an improved feeling with his Ducati Panigale V4R on the visits to Most and Portimao, yet that feeling was gone in the Magny-Cours rain on a wet set-up as he qualified on the sixth row. With Race 1 starting in mixed conditions Bautista lined-up on slick tyres and made a quick change to wets as soon as the rain reappeared.

Having seen his Ducati teammate Nicolo Bulega and old rival Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) crash out on the first lap Bautista also had a ‘moment’ at the chicane seconds later, but he held his nerve to produce a highly astute ride, to eventually bring it home 8.288s behind race winner Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) for an unexpected podium result.

“Well it was a big challenge starting in 17^th!” he stated afterwards. “I didn’t have a good feeling in the wet in the Superpole and I don’t know why. We had to be very careful in some areas in the race, like in the final chicane where we saw a big crash on the first lap. I nearly crashed there too but I was lucky.”

On the timing of his visit to pitlane to switch onto wet tyres, he explained, “When I saw the first drop of rain I thought ok you have to enter because it was dark and the rain was coming so I was the first one to go in. I think it was the right choice. Then the feeling was not too bad and I was able to push harder than I had in Superpole, I saw my lap time and it was not too bad. After that I just tried to survive in the end!”

The experienced Spaniard reflected on the result overall, saying, “At the end I’m very happy with second position after starting from 17^th, in a flag-to-flag, racing with wet tyres and wet conditions with a dry set-up. I’m really, really happy. Sincerely I was surprised with the feeling and the lap time, it was a good surprise for me. I was able to push and have some confidence.”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s Tissot Superpole Race where he will start in 17^th once again, he added, “We’ll see with the weather, it seems like it will be good, at least dry. In Superpole starting from the back in the dry it will be very difficult, more difficult than in the wet. I’ll try to get the best start possible, gain as many positions as possible and try to get a better position on the grid for Race 2.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

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

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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.”

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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.”

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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

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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

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Source: WorldSBK.com