Source: WorldSBK.

The opening WorldSBK race of the day at a very wet Magny-Cours has been won by newly crowned Superbike World Champion Jonathan Rea after a reduced race distance of 19 laps.

The Kawasaki Racing Team rider overhauled long team leader and teammate Tom Sykes, who made a mistake at Turn 8, eventually finishing 4.7s behind Rea at the flag. For Rea it was a sweet 13th season victory and the first for him at the Magny-Cours circuit.

The podium was completed by Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike Team), who kept his consecutive run of podium finishes at his home circuit in tact with a spirited ride.

Fourth, after a multi rider battle from the start was Michael van der Mark on the second Pata Honda, the Dutchman getting the better of Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) , Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK) and Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing) who completed the top 7, Camier giving the Italian manufacturer its best finish ever in its WorldSBK history.

Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) rode a solid race after a huge spill in Superpole yesterday to claim eighth ahead of Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Team) and Niccolo Canepa (Althea Racing) who finished tenth.

The final point scorers were Gianluca Vizziello (Grillini SBK Team), Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils), Luca Scassa (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team), Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) and Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven).

Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) started strongly but faded and with seven laps to go he made the decision to pit for intermediate tyres, he eventually finished 16th after starting from Pole.

The second race at Magny-Cours was won by Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team), the World Champion doing the double for the fifth time this year after a three-rider battle raged from the start. His podium tally of 22 puts him equal with Troy Bayliss who achieved the feat in 2002, and is the second highest number of podiums in a season in the all-time list.

At the flag at the end of 21-adrenalin-filled laps the remaining podium places were taken by Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) meaning the fight for the runner-up spot in the series will continue to the season finale under floodlights in Qatar in a fortnight.

Behind the top three, Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) had their own private duel with the Dutchman taking fourth with a few laps to go from his English rival.

Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) had another solid day pleasing the many fans trackside with sixth in dry conditions.

Seventh was Niccolò Canepa (Althea Racing) ahead of the duelling Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and Luca Scassa (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team), who were eighth and ninth respectively, with Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) rounding out the top 10.

The remaining points-scoring positions were claimed by Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing), Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing), Markus Reiterberger (VanZon Rehema BMW), David Salom (Team Pedercini) and Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse).

The penultimate round of the World Supersport Championship was stopped after several laps and restarted over a reduced distance of 11 laps following a retirement for Kevin Manfredi (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda) that brought out the red flags to allow the track to be cleaned. The encounter was eventually won by PJ Jacobsen (CORE Motorsport Thailand) after an edge-of-the-seat duel with the new 2015 FIM Supersport World Champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), who settled for a safe second position to clinch his fourth WSS crown.

The podium was completed by local rider Lucas Mahias (MG Competition) who despite setting a good pace was unable to stay with the two leaders.

A two-way fight for fourth was eventually won by Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) over Kyle Smith (Pata Honda World Supersport Team), with Kevin Wahr (SMS Honda) in sixth nd Gino Rea, who salvaged a seventh place finish despite crashing and re-joining aboard his CIA Landlords Insurance Honda.

The top 10 was completed by Martin Cardenas (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda), Christian Gamarino (Team Go Eleven) and Marco Faccani (San Carlo Puccetti Racing).

Roberto Rolfo (Team Lorini), Dominic Schmitter (Team Go Eleven), Aiden Wagner (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda), Nico Terol (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Xavi Pinsach (Team Lorini) rounded out the point scorers.

There was disappointment for Alex Baldolini (Race Department ATK#25) who had been in contention for the podium in the opening encounter but he failed to take to the grid for the restart due to a technical problem.

2015 World Superbike Championship
Round 12 – Magny-Cours, France

Race one results:
1. Jonathan Rea
2. Tom Sykes +4.711s
3. Sylvain Guintoli +14.683s
4. Michael van der Mark +22.772s
5. Leon Camier +30.136s
6. Chaz Davies +31.528s
7. Matteo Baiocco +32.129s
8. Alex Lowes +39.034s
9. Leandro Mercado +61.396s
10. Niccolò Canepa +67.845s
19. Alex Phillis (AUS) +1 lap

Race two results:
1. Jonathan Rea
2. Chaz Davies +2.848s
3. Tom Sykes +6.551s
4. Michael van der Mark +10.202s
5. Leon Haslam +12.921s
6. Sylvain Guintoli +19.885s
7. Niccolò Canepa +24.248s
8. Jordi Torres +27.248s
9. Luca Scassa +29.220s
10. Alex Lowes +32.799s
22. Alex Phillis (AUS) +2 laps

World Supersport race results:
1. PJ Jacobsen
2. Kenan Sofuoglu +3.910s
3. Lucas Mahias +8.950s
4. Lorenzo Zanetti +22.021s
5. Kyle Smith +22.958s
6. Kevin Wahr +34.701s
7. Gino Rea +43.995s
8. Martin Cardenas +47.585s
9. Christian Gamarino +50.960s
10. Marco Faccani +53.776s
13. Aiden Wagner (AUS) +1m03.220s
19. Glenn Scott (AUS) +1m25.498s

Click here for detailed results