Source: Supplied.

Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Chaz Davies won the opening race of the Superbike World Championship at Magny-Cours in France on Saturday, overcoming drying conditions to top race one.

It was Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea who took the holeshot, leading into the first corner with teammate Tom Sykes hot on his tail, as the sun shone down at Magny-Cours.

Honda World Superbike Team’s Michael van der Mark showed his prowess in the mixed conditions finding grip on the outside where no one else could to make up two positions, as his teammate Nicky Hayden followed his lead close behind. By the end of the first lap Sykes had taken the advantage from his teammate as the two Honda’s closed in.

As the battle heated up at the front between the two Kawasakis and the two Hondas, MV Agusta Reparto Corse rider Leon Camier silently closed in. With his MV Agusta running at its peak Camier became relentless, hunting down the leaders within a couple of laps and easily pulled away in the lead.

By lap seven the track was almost dry and the ‘Kentucky Kid’ was the first man into the pits for a tyre change, followed a few laps later by the KRT duo who struggled with grip on the drying track.

Camier’s stint at the top was short lived as IodaRacing’s Lorenzo Savadori was first to catch him before a rush of activity in the closing laps saw avies eventually catch up to steal the lead from the young Italian.

Once in front, Davies was unstoppable and went on to win nine seconds clear of second placed van der Mark, who stayed consistent throughout the race. KRT duo Sykes and Rea pushed to make up for lost time spent changing tyres to finally finish in third and fourth respectively.

Savadori eventually finished in fifth ahead of first Frenchman home, Matthieu Lagrive for Pedercini Racing in sixth. Camier came home in seventh after his intermediate tires eventually lost their grip on the dry track.

Barni Racing’s Xavi Fores ended the day in eighth ahead of Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team’s Sylvain Guintoli, who will also be aiming for the podium on Sunday, while IodaRacing Team’s Alex De Angelis locked out the top 10.

Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team’s Alex Lowes gave a solid effort to finish in P11 after his crash in Friday’s practice saw him limping to and from his bike today. Milwaukee BMW’s Josh Brooke’s finished in P12 after starting the race on slicks.

Kawasaki Puccetti Racing’s Kenan Sofuoglu is well on his way to winning his fifth WorldSSP Title as he cemented pole position in the last seconds of Tissot-Superpole 2 at Magny-Cours.

Honda World Supersport Team’s PJ Jacobsen came in second and Ayrton Badovini (GEMAR Balloons- Team Lorini) finished third to lock out the front row of the Magny-Cours grid. Aussie Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing Kawasaki) starts 17th.