Magny-Cours World Superbike FP1 results: Rea top as Bassani suffers nasty fall

Results from Free Practice 1, round nine of the 2023 World Superbike championship at Magny-Cours, France.
Jonathan Rea, French WSBK, 8 September
Jonathan Rea, French WSBK, 8 September

Jonathan Rea, fresh off his deal to join Yamaha in 2024, was fastest during the early stages as he led a factory Kawasaki 1-2.

Four tenths clear of Alex Lowes, Rea was also 1.2 seconds clear of championship leader Alvaro Bautista.

Looking to find more time, Bautista was not shy in making overtakes as he swept across the front of Lucas Mahias coming out of turn one. 

After moving up to third, Toprak Razgatlioglu then continued his progress up the leaderboard as he went second - +0.294s off Rea’s top time.

Scott Redding was the next rider to show strong pace as he leapfrogged both factory Ducatis.

However, the BMW rider was still over seven tenths down on Rea, as the six-time world champion’s time was proving difficult to beat.

With 15 minutes remaining Razgatlioglu closed in on Rea after setting a time of 1:37.060s.

The 2021 world champion then threatened to take over top spot after going fastest in sector two, however, Rea’s very strong end to the lap meant Razgatlioglu couldn’t keep hold of his advantage.

A fast lap from Garrett Gerloff then saw the American leap into second spot, but like Razgatlioglu, the BMW rider was unable to break into the 1m 36s barrier.

2023 World Superbike Magny-Cours, France - Free Practice (1) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime
1Jonathan ReaGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK1:36.900s
2Garrett GerloffUSABonovo Action BMW+0.157s
3Toprak RazgatliogluTURPata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK+0.160s
4Andrea LocatelliITAPata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK+0.242s
5Alex LowesGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+0.431s
6Alvaro BautistaSPAAruba.It Racing Ducati+0.567s
7Michael Ruben RinaldiITAAruba.It Racing Ducati+0.577s
8Scott ReddingGBRROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+0.735s
9Axel BassaniITAMotocorsa Ducati+0.762s
10Danilo PetrucciITABarni Spark Racing Team+0.844s
11Michael Van Der MarkNEDROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+0.978s
12Xavi ViergeSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+1.168s
13Philipp OettlGERGoEleven Ducati+1.214s
14Dominique AegerterSWIGYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team+1.288s
15Iker LecuonaSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+1.318s
16Lorenzo BaldassarriITAGMT94 Yamaha+1.383s
17Loris BazFRABonovo Action BMW+1.386s
18Remy GardnerAUSGYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team+1.416s
19Bradley RayGBRMotoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team+1.464s
20Isaac VinalesSPATPR by Vinales Racing+2.126s
21Lucas MahiasFRAPuccetti Kawasaki+2.813s
22Hannes SoomerESTPETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing+3.129s
23Oliver KonigCZEOrelac Racing Kawasaki+3.571s
Magny-Cours WorldSBK record

Fastest lap - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team 1:36.374s

2022 Race Winners

Race 1 - Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.it Ducati 

Superpole Race - Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha

Race 2 - Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha

There was a late red flag as Axel Bassani suffered a big crash at turn seven. The Italian crashed after trying to save a highside.

Bassani appeared to hit his head very hard and was groggy when walking away from the incident.

Magny-Cours weekend schedule (UK time) 

Friday 

Free Practice 1 - 09:30-10:15

Free Practice 2 - 14:00-14:45

Saturday 

Free Practice 3 - 08:00-08:30

Superpole - 10:10-10:25

Race 1 - 13:00

Sunday 

Warm-up - 08:00-08:15

Superpole Race - 10:00

Race 2 - 14:15

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