WorldSBK Pirelli French Round: Rea wins Race 1 and home town hero Baz finishes second; the new Rain solution provided by Pirelli was appreciated and used by all the riders in the premier class

The Reigning World Champion wins the 2020 Pirelli Best Lap Award after doing no less than seven fast laps throughout the season; Andrea Locatelli wins in WorldSSP and Jeffrey Buis in WorldSSP300.

Magny-Cours (France), 3 October 2020 – For the first day of the Pirelli French Round held at the Nevers Magny-Cours Circuit, Jonathan Rea and his Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK Kawasaki ZX-10RR proved their superiority even in wet conditions.

With an incredible seven Pirelli Best Lap Awards won over the course of this season, the five-time World Champion becomes the winner of the 2020 Pirelli Best Lap Awards, and with his victory in Race 1, he takes his ninety-eighth career win, increasing the points gap in the overall Championship standings ahead of Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R). The second step of the podium was occupied by home town hero Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R1) today, and third place went to Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR).

For Pirelli it was an extremely satisfying day, specifically due to the outstanding performance of the Rain development solution with X1251 specification that made its début in the championship this weekend. The X1251 specification which, thanks to a softer compound promised better performance than the standard Rain solution, was appreciated and used by all the riders in the premier class.

Race 1 in the WorldSSP also took place in wet conditions and the riders used the standard Rain solution on both the front and rear. Finishing on the top step of the podium was Reigning World Champion Andrea Locatelli BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team / Yamaha YZF R6), with second place going to French rider Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-6R) on Kawasaki and third to Estonian rider Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing / Yamaha YZF R6), who took his first podium in the Supersport class today.

WorldSBK Race 1:

After a Superpole session, also held in wet conditions, where the BMWs ridden by Tom Sykes and Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR) earned the first two spots on the grid, an unfortunate contact on the first turn of the race forced them off the track, ending the event early for them. Coming out on top was Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR) who, after starting from the third spot on the grid, moved immediately into the lead ahead of teammate Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR) and the independent Yamahas ridden by Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team / Yamaha YZF R1) and Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R1). In the early laps, the five-time world champion was put under pressure multiple times by both riders on the Blue Japanese machines, who engaged in a spectacular battle, increasing the race pace with every lap. However, on the seventh lap, the American’s bike slid out from under him and he was forced to abandon the race, leaving home town hero Baz with the task of hounding the defending World Champion. Behind him were Alex Lowes, Michael van Der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team / Yamaha YZF R1) and Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R) who, once again, managed to move up several positions during the race. Rea didn’t miss a shot, finishing first ahead of Frenchman Loris Baz and teammate Alex Lowes.

WorldSBK Race 1 Standings:

1. J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
2. L. Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R1)
3. A. Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
4. C. Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
5. S. Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
6. T. Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
7. M. R. Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
8. X. Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
9. M. van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
10. L. Mercado (Motocorsa Racing / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
11. F. Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
12. Á. Bautista (Team HRC / Honda CBR1000RR)
13. S. Barrier (Brixx Performance / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
14. V. Debise (OUTDO Kawasaki TPR / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
15. X. Pinsach (ORELAC Racing VERDNATURA / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
16. S. Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
17. T. Takahashi (MIE Racing Althea HONDA Team / Honda CBR1000RR)

• RT. G. Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
• RT. E. Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR)
• RT. T. Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMWS1000 RR)
• RT. L. Haslam (Team HRC / Honda CBR1000RR)

WorldSSP Race 1:

Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-6R) had the best start of the group, moving into the lead, but Reigning World Champion Andrea Locatelli (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team / Yamaha YZF R6), after starting from the third spot on the grid, was having none of it and overtook the Frenchman before the end of first lap. Riding behind them in the driving rain were Kyle Smith (GMT94 Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6), Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team / Kawasaki ZX-6R), Raffaele De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse / MV Agusta F3 675) and Corentin Perolari (GMT94 Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6). In the meantime, on the fifth lap, Galang Hendra Pratama (bLU cRU WorldSSP by MS Racing / Yamaha YZF R6), who had earned his best starting position of the season, starting from the sixth spot, crashed out and was forced to retire. Throughout the entire distance of Race 1, home town hero Mahias managed to stay on the Italian Yamaha rider’s pipes, but without ever managing to attempt an overtake. Following at a distance was Estonia rider Hannes Sommer (Kallio Racing / Yamaha YZF R6) in third place, whereas De Rosa, Kevin Manfredi (Altogoo Racing Team / Yamaha YZF R6) and Can Alexander Öncü (Turkish Racing Team / Kawasaki ZX-6R) engaged in a thrilling battle for fifth. On the final lap of the race, the red flag came out, which took the place of the chequered flag, with Locatelli in first place ahead of Frenchman Mahias and Soomer, taking his first podium in the Supersport class.

WorldSSP Race 1 Standings:

1. A. Locatelli (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team / Yamaha YZF R6)
2. L. Montella (DK MOTORSPORT / Yamaha YZF R6)
3. L. Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-6R)
4. H. Soomer (Kallio Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
5. R. De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse / MV Agusta F3 675)
6. K. Manfredi (Altogoo Racing Team / Yamaha YZF R6)
7. C. Öncü (Turkish Racing Team / Kawasaki ZX-6R)
8. M. Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team / Kawasaki ZX-6R)
9. F. Fuligni (MV Agusta Reparto Corse / MV Agusta F3 675)
10. P. Sebestyen (OXXO Yamaha Team Toth / Yamaha YZF R6)
11. D. Webb (WRP Wepol Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
12. C. Perolari (GMT94 Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6)
13. S. Odendaal (EAB Ten Kate Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
14. I. Viñales (Kallio Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
15. P. Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-6R)
16. A. Bassani (Soradis Yamaha Motoxracing / Yamaha YZF R6)
17. A. Carranza (EMPERADOR Racing Team / Yamaha YZF R6)
18. L. Cresson (OXXO Yamaha Team Toth / Yamaha YZF R6)

• RT. A. Verdoïa (bLU cRU WorldSSP by MS Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
• RT. G. Hendra Pratama (bLU cRU WorldSSP by MS Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
• RT. K. Smith (GMT94 Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6)
• RT. G. Van Straalen (MPM Routz Racing Team / Yamaha YZF R6)
• RT. S. Frossard (Moto Team Jura Vitesse / Yamaha YZF R6)
• RT. H. Okubo (Dynavolt Honda / Honda CBR600RR)
• RT. K. Hanika (WRP Wepol Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
• NS. P. Hobelsberger (Dynavolt Honda / Honda CBR600RR)

WorldSSP300 Race 1:

Race 1 of the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship was the final event at the Nevers Magny-Cours Circuit. Taking home the win for the umpteenth time was Dutchman Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT / Kawasaki Ninja 400), who also maintains the lead in the overall Championship standings. Rounding out the podium were his compatriot on Kawasaki, Scott Deroue (MTM Kawasaki MOTOPORT / Kawasaki Ninja 400), second in the overall championship standings with a gap of twenty-one points, and Yamaha rider Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSSP300 / Yamaha YZF-R3).

The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders for WorldSBK Race 1 and WorldSSP Race 1:

Race 1 of WorldSBK was held in wet track conditions due to the rainfall during most of the day. The riders' choices therefore fell naturally to wet tyres for both the front and rear. On the front, everyone used the standard DIABLO™ Rain tyres, whereas on the rear, the riders had a choice between the standard SCR1 DIABLO™ Rain tyre (option Rb) and the X1251 development Rain solution (option Ra) making its début at the French round. The development solution garnered extremely positive feedback from all the riders during practice on Friday, so consequently, it was chosen by the entire starting grid to tackle Race 1.

The rain continued to fall for WorldSSP Race 1, forcing all the riders on the grid to opt for the Rain solution on both the front and on the rear.

Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 1:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR) in 1'48.268 on the 15th lap

• Most used front solution: standard SCR (21 out of 21 riders)

• Most used rear solution: X1251 SCR development (21 out of 21 riders)

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the Superbike class: 5 front and 7 rear

• Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 74, including 35 front and 39 rear

• Air temperature: 12° C

• Asphalt temperature: 14° C

Pirelli statistics for WorldSSP Race 1:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: A. Locatelli (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team / Yamaha YZF R6) in 1’53.962 on the 17th lap

• Most used front solution: standard Rain solution (25 out of 25 riders)

• Most used rear solution: standard Rain solution (25 out of 25 riders)

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the Supersport class: 4 front and 4 rear

• Number of tyres available for each Supersport rider: 50, including 24 front and 26 rear

• Air temperature: 12° C

• Asphalt temperature: 15° C