Superbike: Rea returns to success in the wet at Magny-Cours

Race 1 was wet at the Circuit de Nevers due to the heavy rain that fell during the night and the track lacked grip, but a lucky race for Jonathan Rea who returned to the top step of the podium, bringing the number of successes in the season to 13 and in his career to 28.

The new Superbike World Champion, on the wet asphalt of the French track, was the author of a tactically perfect race and, after having caught up with the then leader Tom Sykes, he overtook him at the "180°" bend during the seventeenth lap and he quickly took off, crossing the finish line almost five seconds ahead of his teammate.

Nothing to do for Sykes, who once again had to settle for second place after at times appearing capable of making the race his own. The podium is completed by home rider and defending champion Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike), who thus keeps his streak of consecutive podiums at Magny-Cours alive, having achieved a long-awaited first podium with Honda.

Fourth place went to the other Pata Honda rider Michael van der Mark, author of a courageous performance which saw him able to save himself in style from a near fall from a highside.

Leon Camier got the better of Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team) for fifth place, giving the MV Agusta Reparto Corse team their best result so far since their return to competition last year.

Completing the top 10 are Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing Ducati), Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) and Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Ducati). Eleventh was Niccolò Canepa (Althea Racing Ducati), less comfortable in the wet, ahead of the good Gianluca Vizziello (Grillini SBK Team), the latter able to get behind riders of the caliber of Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils), Luca Scassa (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team), Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) and Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven Kawasaki), who closes the points.

Difficult race for Leon Haslam, clearly in difficulty after a good start to the race and, after a pit stop, only sixteenth at the checkered flag.

Meet at 13pm with the start of Race 10.
Below is the order of arrival for Race 1:

1. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 19 laps 
2. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +4.711s 
3. Sylvain Guintoli FRA PATA Honda CBR1000RR +14.683s 
4. Michael van der Mark NED PATA Honda CBR1000RR +22.772s 
5. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta F4 RR +30.136s 
6. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R +31.528s 
7. Matteo Baiocco ITA Althea Ducati 1199R +32.129s 
8. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 +39.034s 
9. Leandro Mercado ARG Barni Ducati 1199R +61.396s 
10. Niccolò Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199R +67.845s 
11. Gianluca Vizziello ITA Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R +69.622s 
12. Jordi Torres ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 +76.782s 
13. Luca Scassa ITA Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R +79.531s 
14. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR +86.459s 
15. Roman Ramos ESP GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R+90.260s 
16. Leon Haslam GBR Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 +1 lap 
17. Gabor Rizmayer HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR +1 lap 
18. Christophe Ponsson FRA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1 lap 
19. Alex Phillis AUS Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1 lap 
20. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR +1 lap 
21. Markus Reiterberger GER BMW S1000 RR +2 laps 

Did not finish 

Pawel Szkopek POL Yamaha YZF R1 +5 laps 
Randy de Puniet FRA Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 +9 laps 
David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +14 laps