The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s Tissot Superpole session at the Motul French Round and the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours fired into life under the sun. One question was whether or not anyone could break Jonathan Rea’s (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) pole position streak in 2021, with him looking at a historic eighth straight pole. Despite a strong challenge from his rivals, Rea resisted the pressure and set a new lap record and indeed a new record for consecutive poles, as the Ulsterman stormed to an eighth on the bounce to see-off Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) and Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).
STORY OF SUPERPOLE: Down to fast times immediately
With the first laps coming in and after the first five minutes, it was the usual suspects right at the front, with Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) jumping out of the traps to take provisional pole, ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). The top seven riders were all in the 1’36s bracket, with an electric pace being set. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), as is his usual strategy, decided to go out later than anyone else so that he had good track position, but his first lap only saw him go tenth. One aspect to note was that only one fast flying lap was possible with the Q tyre, meaning it was even more important to get a strong lap banked.
The final five minutes were underway, making for a frantic closing to the session. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) had now bolted to the top prior to the final run and was sitting on a 1’36.025, the fastest lap of the weekend. However, that was then bettered by Championship leader Razgatlioglu, as he broke into the 1’35 bracket with a 1’35.784.
IMPRESSIVE TOP THREE: Rea sets a new record
However, it would be the new Mr. Superpole Jonathan Rea who left it late to fly up the order from seventh to pole. A new lap record for Rea with a 1’35.683, and now with an eighth pole position on the bounce – a new record for consecutive poles, surpassing Ben Spies’ record of seven set back in 2009. Not only did Rea set a record for his own personal streak but he gave Kawasaki a 100th pole of their WorldSBK history too. Toprak Razgatlioglu missed out by 0.101s to finish second, whilst Tom Sykes made it three manufacturers on the front row in third for back-to-back front rows.
ROW TWO: teammates in formation and ready to pounce
Leading off the second row is Alex Lowes, with the British rider just more than a tenth adrift of the top three, whilst it was Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) who impressed in fifth for a third top-six Superpole result on the bounce. However, one of the major improvements came from Leon Haslam (Team HRC), with the British veteran looking on course for pole position on his final flying lap before eventually finishing sixth, his best Superpole result of 2021, off the back of his worst when he was 17th at Navarra.
FURTHER BACK: Ducati disaster and notable grid slots
It was not a strong session for Ducati, with Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in seventh, outqualifying teammate Scott Redding for the first time in 2021. 0.070s splits the Ducati duo but they’re more than seven and eighth tenths off Rea’s pole time respectively; for Redding, it’s the first time he’s been off the front two rows in 2021. Completing the third row and making it two BMWs on the front three rows, Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) starts ninth at a circuit of which he’s been on the podium at every year since 2016, although he’ll have his work cut-out to keep that streak up on Saturday afternoon. Home-hero Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was tenth but suffered a fast crash at Turn 1, although he was soon on his feet.
With Mahias taking top Independent honours at home, Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) and Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) make it an all-Independent fourth row. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) could only finish 14th, one place behind Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing). Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport Yamaha) took a career-best 16th on the grid at home.
Top six after Tissot Superpole in WorldSBK
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’35.683s
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.101s
3. Eazi-Grip supported Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.236s
4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.342s
5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.518s
6. Leon Haslam (Team HRC) +0.575s
Race 1
Dramatic racing, incredible battles and more featured throughout Race 1 at the French Round
The first race of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours delivered action throughout the 21-lap encounter with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) taking victory with an incredible performance of pace and consistency to win by more than four seconds as he gained a five-point swing over nearest rival Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) at the Motul French Round, while title rival Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) endured a difficult Saturday in France as he finished 12th in Race 1.
THE TOP TWO BATTLE IT OUT IN THE EARLY STAGES
Razgatlioglu got a good start and took the lead through Turn 1 but soon found himself shuffled back thanks to the run down to the Turn 5 hairpin of Adelaide. He responded when Rea took the lead and made a move on Lap 4 at Adelaide to reclaim the lead of the race before he was able to pull out enough of a gap to keep Rea at arm’s length.
Rea was able to respond as the laps progressed, closing the gap to just a couple of tenths but could not make a move stick before Razgatlioglu extended his lead out in front to more than a second ahead of Rea, holding on to secure his second victory in a row following on from his win in Race 2 at Navarra. Rea’s second place extends his winless drought to seven races since he won at Assen in Race 2. Razgatlioglu showed remarkable consistent pace throughout the 21-lap encounter, always lapping in the 1’37s bracket and he also becomes the first Yamaha rider to take 18 podiums in a single season.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) claimed his third podium in WorldSBK with third place after he got a good start to the race to move up the field from fifth place, before battling the even faster-starting Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) for fourth place; eventually passing the Italian at Turn 5 on Lap 12. He then gained a position on Lap 17 when Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) crashed at Turn 8 on Lap 17, forcing the British rider out of the race. It meant Locatelli was able to claim third place with Rinaldi being promoted to fourth.
COMPLETING THE TOP TEN
Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed fifth place after battling from ninth on the grid, with the Dutchman enduring a difficult morning with no running in Free Practice 3. He finished two seconds clear of Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) in sixth place as all five manufacturers were represented in the top six.
There was a stunning battle for seventh place during the race between numerous riders which came down to the final chicane. Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) came home in seventh place with rookie Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finishing eighth and ninth. Leon Haslam (Team HRC) rounded out the top ten after starting inside the top six as the British rider fell back throughout the latter stages of the race.
TAKING POINTS
American star Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) claimed 11th place, behind the incredible battle for seventh place, just two tenths away from Haslam. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) started from eighth place and was unable to fight his way through the field as he fell back down through the order to take 12th place despite a Lap 19 crash as he looked to make a move on Sykes at Turn 13; Redding making no contact with Sykes but coming off his bike before he re-joined the race. Local rider Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport – Yamaha) was 13th at his home round as he claimed more points for his campaign, finishing less than a second ahead of Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team), with Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) rounding out the points.
TO NOTE
Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Action) had a difficult race but came home in 16th place while Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) had a battle for 17th place that went down to the line; the duo separated by just 0.082s as Nozane beat Cresson. Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) was the only other retirement apart from Lowes after he crashed out Turn 13 in the early stages of the race.
The top six following Race 1 at Magny-Cours
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK)
2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +4.467s
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +10.285s
4. Michael Ruben Rinaldi +13.283s
5. Eazi-Grip supported Michael van der Mark +15.535s
6. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) +17.824
Race 2
Toprak Razgatlioglu claimed three wins out of three at the French Round after another hard-fought victory in Race 2 at Magny-Cours
Race 2 for the Motul French Round at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours gave Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) his second win of the weekend to extend his Championship lead over Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). A race that saw their rivalry ignite was relentless from the start, with the two putting on a spectacular show clear of the opposition.
THREE-WAY FIGHT AT THE FRONT
Razgatlioglu got the better start from pole position and initially held the lead of the race but used a wider line through the long right-hander of Estoril, allowing Rea to sneak up the inside to take the lead. On the run down to Turn 5, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) wanted to get involved in the lead battle but Razgatlioglu and Rea were able to keep him at arm’s length.
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was running in third from the early stages of the race after jumping up from the second row of the grid as he claimed his first podium of the weekend after a challenging weekend for the British rider. Third place for Redding meant he lost ground in the Championship to leader Razgatlioglu, while Rea also gained on Redding in the standings.
The race-winning move came on Lap 11 after an incredible two laps of battling between Razgatlioglu and Rea with the Turkish star overtaking Rea into the Turn 5 hairpin of Adelaide on Lap 10 before the six-time Champion responded into the Imola chicane. Rea retained the lead of the race for just another lap before Razgatlioglu was able to pass Rea again into Adelaide. The pair battled it out throughout the race before Rea settled for second after making a save in the closing stages of the race.
TAKING HOME A TOP TEN FINISH
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) claimed fourth place after another strong weekend for the Italian rookie, finishing two seconds behind Redding at the end of the race. Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) claimed a top five finish for his first since Race 2 at the TT Circuit Assen, with Davies and Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) both putting pressure on Locatelli for fourth place.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was seventh, around two seconds back from Bautista, with Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in eighth. Dutchman van der Mark had been running in the top four but a scary incident with Locatelli on the start-finish straight meant he lost time and positions and was unable to respond to get back to the front of the group. He faced let pressure from Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) for eighth but held on with the American in ninth, with Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) rounding out the top ten.
COMPLETING THE POINTS
Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) continued his strong form with 11th place although the Italian rider did lose time to the group ahead, with Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport – Yamaha) claiming 12th place for a strong result in front of his home fans. He battled throughout the race with compatriot Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) directly behind Ponsson.
Japanese rookie Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) claimed his best result of the French Round with 14th place and two points, with Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) completing the points. Rabat had got ahead of the Ponsson-Mahias battle but fell back in the latter stages of the race.
TO NOTE
Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Action) claimed 16th place, missing out on a point by just over a second, while Argentinean rider Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) was two seconds back in 17th place. Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) was the last of the classified runners in 18th place.
Despite a strong start to the race, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) crashed out of the race in the early stages of the race with an accident on the entry of the Nurburgring chicane, with Lowes retiring from the race. Leon Haslam (Team HRC) had an accident at the same corner shortly after, forcing the Honda rider out of the race.
The top six following Race 2 at Magny-Cours
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK)
2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +2.908s
3. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +8.406s
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +10.329s
5. Eazi-Grip supported Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) +10.734s
6. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) +11.467s
Fastest lap Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’37.226s
Championship standings
1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 370 points
2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 363
3. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 298
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 186
5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 176
6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 172
LATE DRAMA: Rea claims Superpole Race victory after Razgatlioglu penalised
The battle raged on between Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea as the race victor was decided on the final lap
With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heading to the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours for the Motul French Round, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was the victor after a late penalty for Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) for a track limits infringement on the final lap, with the pair battling it out throughout the 10-lap race.
THE TOP THREE…
Rea and Razgatlioglu lead the way from the start with Razgatlioglu taking the lead of the race on the second lap of 10 at the Turn 5 Adelaide hairpin. Rea was able to keep Razgatlioglu under pressure throughout the ten laps and this paid off into the Imola chicane on the final lap as Rea made a move for the lead on the final lap. Rea’s lead lasted just a few seconds, though, as Razgatlioglu responded almost instantly as he got up the inside of Turn 15 to take the lead. However, Razgatlioglu was deemed to have exceeded track limits at Turn 10 on the final lap meaning he was demoted one place by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards for the infringement.
Despite their battle throughout the entire race, the duo were able to pull away from third-placed Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who took his first podium since Donington Park, securing a front row start for this afternoon’s Race 2. Lowes had to battle with Italian rookie Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) with the British rider coming out on top.
RACE 2’S SECOND ROW
Locatelli will lead away the second row for Race 2 after finishing in fourth place, while Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was able to bounce back from a difficult Saturday to claim fifth place in the Superpole Race meaning he will start from fifth place in Race 2 as he looks to get back on the podium. He will start alongside his 2022 teammate, Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), with the Dutchman claiming sixth in the Superpole Race.
STARTING FROM THE THIRD ROW
Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) will line up in seventh place in Race 2 after battling back to finish seventh in the Superpole Race, alongside Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) and Leon Haslam (Team HRC), with all five manufacturers starting from inside the top nine in the afternoon’s Race 2.
The top nine following the Tissot Superpole Race
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.148s
3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +5.634s
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +6.995s
5. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +7.836s
6. Eazi-Grip supported Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +8.471s
7. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) +9.867s
8. Eazi-Grip supported Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) +10.420s
9. Leon Haslam (Team HRC) +11.677s