2022 French WorldSBK Results

Gordon Ritchie | September 9, 2022

Friday

Superbike

A strange day of changeable weather welcomed the WorldSBK riders back after their long summer break. The best times were set in the first few laps of FP1 – just before the rains turned up too strongly for anyone to improve. With wet conditions again arriving at the wrong time for most riders in FP2, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) thus found himself the fastest rider, thanks to his FP1 performance and a 1’39.107 lap.

In the wet conditions in the afternoon FP2 session Jonathan Rea (KRT) was fastest, but only 19th overall as he never had any dry track to work with in FP1 or 2 – like many other WorldSBK riders.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was second fastest overall and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) third.

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was fourth quickest in FP1 but a faller in the wet conditions of FP2. The championship leader remounted and went back out in the wet conditions, relaying on his early FP1 time for his overall fourth place.

Just to complicate matters more, there was a red flag with 22 minutes to go of FP2, because of debris from a crashed bike lying on the track surface. The session was soon restarted, but still in largely wet conditions.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was fifth on day one.

The top Independent rider was again Axel Bassani (MotoCorsa Racing Ducati) – sixth – with his fellow Ducati privateer Philipp Öttl (Team GoEleven Ducati) seventh.

A determined Xavi Vierge (HRC Honda) placed eighth.

Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was top BMW rider in ninth place and Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Ducati) rounded out the top ten places on day one.

Better weather is predicted for Saturday and Sunday, making FP3 a particularly important period for all before Superpole Qualifying takes place.

2022 French WorldSBK Results—Friday FP2 (wet)

WorldSSP

Local rider Valentin Debise (GMT94) proved to be the fastest rider on Friday at his home round of Magny Cours, making the most of the slowly drying track conditions in FP2.

Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Ducati) was second fastest, with championship leader and new MotoE champ Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) third.

Fast rookie Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) was fastest of all in FP1 in fully wet conditions, and then fourth overall.

Nicolo Beluga (Aruba Racing Ducati) was not top Ducati rider today but he was still fifth quickest.

After announcing he would retirement at the end of this season, Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) was sixth on Friday at Magny Cours.

Top Triumph rider on day one was Hannes Soomer (Dynavolt Triumph Street Triple RS) in seventh place.

All the competing manufacturers were inside the top eight places when  Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse F3 800 RR) joined the top ten riders, ahead of Andy Verdoia (GMT94 Yamaha) and wet weather expert Kyle Smith (VFT Racing Yamaha).

Weather conditions should improve as the weekend goes on, after a difficult Friday on an ever changing track surface.

2022 French WorldSSP Results—Friday

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