FRENCH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP: BATTLE IN THE RAIN AT MAGNY-COURS
The 5th stage of the Championship of France Superbike took place this weekend on the Nevers Magny-Cours in front of the President of the FFM, Sebastien Poirier. Organized by the Moto Club Nevers et de la Nièvre under the aegis of the FFM, the competition was the subject of many surprises and revelations in changing weather conditions this Sunday. Find out which riders shone in each of the 1000cc youth categories of the Objectif Grand Prix Pré-Moto3.
SUPERBIKE
COURSE 1: DEBISE AND GINES, FACE TO FACE!
From the first corner, it was a real thunderclap that rang out in the premier class: poleman Gregory LEBLANC (Ducati TWR – Pirelli) went downhill following contact with Freddy FORAY (Honda – Michelin)!
The leading position is then to the credit of Valentin DEBISE (Kawasaki Twist Ring Racing – Dunlop). However, in the 3rd lap, it was Mathieu GINES (Yamaha Tech Solutions – Michelin) who took the lead. Both drivers are neck and neck while Kenny Foray (BMW Tecmas – Michelin) tries to stay in touch from the 3rd row early in the race before falling behind.
Confident since his victory on the Pau Arnos circuit, GINES has held the top in DEBISE during the entire race. However, the Albigensian driver regains the advantage on the penultimate lap! Despite a good resistance from GINES, it is indeed DEBISE who confirms on the finish line with only a tenth in advance.
Kenny FORAY, meanwhile, manages his end of the race and completes the top 3.
In battle for the foot of the podium, it is a group of 6 pilots who put on the show. Within the cast, we find Freddy FORAY, Axel MAURIN (Yamaha CMS – Michelin), Matthieu LUSSIANA (Yamaha – Dunlop), Morgan BERCHET (Yamaha – Dunlop) David MUSCAT (Ducati – Michelin) and the Challenger pilot Guillaume ANTIGA (Honda – Michelin).
After numerous changes in the hierarchy that makes up the group, BERCHET slightly off the end of the race and ranks 4th . Freddy FORAY finished 5th just ahead of the Challenger Guillaume ANTIGA who at the same time won the victory in his category. MUSCAT, MAURIN and LUSSIANA finished in 7th , 8th and 9th places.
Challenger, behind William ANTIGA the paddock find the leader of the youth category, Martin RENAUDIN (Yamaha Motorcycles & GPAddict – Pirelli) that ensures the 10th place overall. Valentin SUCHET (Suzuki LMS – Pirelli) completed the podium and ranks 12th overall.
RACE 2: KENNY FORAY AT EASE IN THE WET
It is on a “wet” track that the pilots of the premier category set off for the second Sunday race. Comfortable in these conditions and in good shape since the start of the weekend, Mathieu GINES and Kenny FORAY immediately widened the gap over the other competitors.
In the 5th round, Kenny Foray got the better of Mathieu GINES left in its wake. The reigning French Champion tries to stay in touch but the driver of BMW n ° 78 is too fast! FORAY continues its momentum and finishes king with 1,667 seconds ahead of GINES.
In 3rd place early in the race, Freddy Foray fall in the 4th round and then leaves the 3rd position in the pilot Challenger William ANTIGA trying to maintain a narrow lead on elite pilot Axel Maurin and Valentin Debise. However, DEBISE finds its marks over the laps and goes back to 3rd place which it will not leave until the checkered flag.
ANTIGA great performance, the Challenger driver finishes first in its class and 4th in the scratch! Despite a small mistake which made him lose precious seconds on his final lap, David MUSCAT ranks 5th after returning to Axel Maurin who fall into the Water Tower and turn left immediately to finish 6th .
The paddock also notes the good result of the local stage, Maxime BONNOT (BMW Tecmas – Michelin) ranks 7th . Challenger Martin RENAUDIN, meanwhile, finished 8th at just scratch after resisting another Challenger Valentin SUCHET.
The latter therefore complete the podium in the youth category.
In the FSBK-FE regulations, the starting grid of race 2 is determined on the basis of the best times in race 1. Without reference during the morning race following his fall in the first turn, Gregory LEBLANC is forced to start from last place on the starting grid and still managed to finish 11th in the scratch!
In the provisional, DEBISE is in the lead with 240 points ahead of GINES (200 points) and FORAY (127 points).
As a challenger, RENAUDIN is in the lead with 230 points ahead of ANTIGA (223 points). AGOGUE and SUCHET are tied for the moment with 131 points.
SUPERSPORT 600
RACE 1: DEBISE, HAPPY IN THE RAIN
True to form, Valentin DEBISE (Kawasaki – Michelin) took the lead from the start. He takes on his wheel the Challenger Ludovic CAUCHI (Yamaha – Pirelli) and the SSP600 rider Enzo DE LA VEGA (Yamaha – Pirelli). In the 2nd lap, CAUCHI, efficient and full of passion, relegates DEBISE to second place! A notch below, DE LA VEGA lost ground and saw his opponents move away.
In pursuit of the latter, the Challenger Matthew GREGORIO (Yamaha – Pirelli), and driver Yvan SSP600 LAETZIG (Yamaha – Pirelli) seem to be able to apply for the 3rd spot …
However, the onset of rain caused the fall of 3 pilots and inevitably, the issue of a red flag by the Race Direction. The race was then stopped after 5 laps before setting off again a few minutes later with all the pilots wearing wet tires.
The race then resumes for 7 laps with a fully revived DEBISE! The Albigensian adopts a pace that it is the only one to print and keeps the lead from start to finish to win during the 2nd half of the race. Less efficient in the rain, CAUCHI, yet 2nd in the first lap, came down in the standings over the loops and finished 6th . Conversely, Dylan MILLE (Yamaha – Pirelli), at ease on the wet track of Nevers Magny-Cours, finished 2nd . Enzo DE LA VEGA resisted Yvan LAETZIG and completed the top 3 ahead of the Alsatian driver.
Behind Ludovic CAUCHI Challenger Charles CORTOT (Yamaha – Dunlop) and Matthew GREGORIO respectively ranked 2nd and 3rd category of young people.
Combined with the two parts of the race, it is ultimately DEBISE that wins. This victory, synonymous with first place in the Championship at mid-season, at the same time gave him a Wildcard in GMT 94 with the support of the FFM and Yamaha France. The Albigensian rider therefore makes an appointment for the World Superbike event which will take place on the Nevers Magny-Cours Circuit from September 3 to 5.
On the 2nd and 3rd step of the podium, the paddock finds MILLE and DE LA VEGA.
In Challenger, CAUCHI is finally not classified because he returned to the pits before the red flag came out during the first part of the race. It is therefore Matthieu GREGORIO who wins in front of Charles CORTOT and Vincent FALCONE (Yamaha – Pirelli).
RACE 2: DEBISE, TOO FAST FOR YOUTH
Once again above the rest, Valentin DEBISE does not go into detail during the afternoon. Under a threatening sky, he seems to be impatient to finish and takes off alone in the lead on the first lap at a breakneck pace.
On the other hand, it’s tighter in the second row! The Challengers pilots Matthieu GREGORIO and Ludovic CAUCHI are fighting for the rest of the podium. The hierarchy is reversed in mid-race between the two men while SSP600 Hugo CLERE drivers (Yamaha – Pirelli) and Enzo DE LA VEGA are pushing for the 4th and 5th positions.
With 4 laps from the checkered flag, GREGORIO recovers 2nd place but unfortunately, one lap later, the onset of rain leads to the issue of a red flag by the Race Direction. The ranking freezes in the previous round. DEBISE, who had been in the lead from the start, once again shines at Magny-Cours. CAUCHI therefore retains 2nd place ahead of GREGORIO. The ranking does not move to CLERE and DE LA VEGA who finish 4th and 5th .
In Challenger, CAUCHI wins ahead of GREGORIO. Kilian AEBI (Suzuki – Dunlop), who occupied the 6th place overall before the exit of the red flag, finishes on the final podium of the young drivers.
In the provisional, DEBISE is in the lead with 252 points ahead of CAUCHI (190 points) and BERCOT (115 points).
In Challenger, CAUCHI is in the lead with 243 points ahead of GREGORIO (156 points) and BERCOT (155 points).
