2023 World Superbike - Round 8 - Magny Cours

Magny Cours is underway this weekend


SBK FP2 Results:
1. 21 M. RINALDI - Aruba.it Racing - Ducati - 1'36.973 +0
2. 31 G. GERLOFF - Bonovo Action BMW - 1'36.981 +0.008
3. 54 T. RAZGATLIOGLU - Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK - 1'37.114 +0.141
4. 1 A. BAUTISTA - Aruba.it Racing - Ducati - 1'37.174 +0.201
5. 45 S. REDDING - ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team - 1'37.342 +0.369
6. 22 A. LOWES - Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK - 1'37.356 +0.383
7. 65 J. REA - Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK - 1'37.511 +0.538
8. 55 A. LOCATELLI - Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK - 1'37.543 +0.57
9. 87 R. GARDNER - GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team - 1'37.562 +0.589
10. 9 D. PETRUCCI - Barni Spark Racing Team - 1'37.638 +0.665
11. 76 L. BAZ - Bonovo Action BMW - 1'37.837 +0.864
12. 47 A. BASSANI - Motocorsa Racing - 1'37.980 +1.007
13. 5 P. OETTL - Team GoEleven - 1'38.297 +1.324
14. 60 M. VAN DER MARK - ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team - 1'38.366 +1.393
15. 7 I. LECUONA - Team HRC - 1'38.394 +1.421
16. 77 D. AEGERTER - GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team - 1'38.472 +1.499
17. 34 L. BALDASSARRI - GMT94 Yamaha - 1'39.056 +2.083
18. 44 L. MAHIAS - Kawasaki Puccetti Racing - 1'39.108 +2.135
19. 28 B. RAY - Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team - 1'39.368 +2.395
20. 97 X. VIERGE - Team HRC - 1'39.625 +2.652
21. 38 H. SOOMER - PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team - 1'39.671 +2.698
22. 52 O. KONIG - Orelac Racing MOVISIO - 1'39.790 +2.817
23. 35 H. SYAHRIN - PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team - 1'40.105 +3.132
24. 32 I. VINALES - TPR Team Pedercini Racing - 1'40.295 +3.322

JFM01 said:

Bautista's bike just shut down in the middle of the hairpin, very dangerous situation there.

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Something similar happened to Ashton Yates in MotoAmerica and Beaubier's season ended as a result. Bautista did well to salvage points and avoid a major accident.

Gerloff looked really good. He goes well at Magny Cours. Toprak vs Rinaldi was an interesting battle, but we all knew how it would end. Rea also gained points on Bautista with a solid podium.

We'll see if Bautista can recover in Superpole race and Race 2.

In SSP Bulega controlled the race with an iron fist. Manzi reeled him in with a few laps to go, but Bulega just eased away on won easily. The Ducati is strong this season, and interestingly enough, I think the teams are realizing that sandbagging is your friend during the races. The races are starting to look a bit like the old days of racecraft when riders would go as fast as practical to win. Now they go as fast as they can without getting detuned. It's synthetic, but underneath it all, you never quite know which rider has what in hand. This is a bit like the old days.

Faz said:

How did Bautista not get a long lap penalty for blatantly t-boning his team mate In superpole 2?

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Seemed like a racing incident to me. He was trying to cut inside of Toprak, but Toprak beat him to the punch and Bautista had to sit up which put him on a collision course with Rinaldi who was taking a wide entry. Plus it was teammate on teammate so the stewards often look the other way to avoid compounding the injury to the team. When Redding hit Gerloff in the Superpole race, it wasn't a teammate affair....yet.

Overall the racing was pretty good at Magny Cours. The cornerspeed riders tend to shine there, and Toprak is good everywhere. Bautista had a good recovery in Race 2 after an unspectacular opening 2 races. He's still got he championship locked, imo, but ya never know.

A lot of guys in the midpack need to make a step. Unsure if it's the riders or the crews though. A lot of these guys are proven winners, including at the grand prix level. The Pirellis are weird, but I'm starting to suspect the rider may not be the only personnel issue.