Carlos Checa tops the Superbikes FP1 at Magny Cours

Rider Carlos Checa has set the fastest lap time in the first free practice session of the Superbike World Championship at the Magny Cours circuit, so the Catalan has put the pedal to the metal in his bid for the title on the French track.

Checa is very strong, in spectacular form, and he keeps proving it race after race, opening up gaps from the start. This time he set a lap time of 1’39.013.

Behind him came Tom Sykes. The Kawasaki rider has been looking very strong in the latest races, and you can tell the win has given him wings; he is now among the favourites. Rounding out the top three is Troy Corser, the veteran rider of BMW, who is also in good physical shape.

Meanwhile, Leon Haslam finished 4th, followed by Jakub Smrz in 5th and Michel Fabrizio in 6th, despite the crash he suffered during the free practice sessions at the French track.

For his part, the main title contender and Checa’s biggest rival, Marco Melandri, did not feel very comfortable at the circuit and could only manage 15th place, just ahead of our own Xavi Forés, who was 16th and has shown great improvement in his lap times with the BMW.

Joan Lascorz also rose to the occasion, setting the 9th fastest time of the free session, so the Kawasaki rider is at his peak for this penultimate round of the SBK World Championship.

The bad news was Rubén Xaus’s crash. The Catalan was unable to even complete a timed lap, so he did not record a time. The crash was nasty and the rider was left motionless, alarming everyone, but fortunately it does not appear to be serious, although he was unable to return for FP1.

Now, shortly, the QP1.

Source | WorldSBK