If you thought that Carlos Checa was going to take it easy this weekend as he’s on the verge of taking the championship title – he needs just three little points – think again.
The Althea Ducati rider headed the top of the timesheet at the French track of Magny–Cours during this morning’s first free practice, but he had to work for it as lap times were tight.
Checa had lead most of the session but with only six minutes left Leon Haslam put in flying lap to grab the top of the timesheets, but the Spaniard wasn’t having any as he then posted at 1.
39.
013 that was enough to keep Tom Sykes at bay who had climbed up the charts right behind him to take second, while Troy Corser bumped team mate Haslam into fourth as he took the the third spot.
Jakub Smrz finished in 5th, followed by Michel Fabrizio who suffered a crash at turn 7 during the one hour practice session.
Eugene Laverty was 7th with Noriyuki Haga hot on his tail in 8th.
Joan Lascorz and Sylvain Guintoli rounded out the top ten.
Last week’s race 1 winner at Imola Jonathan Rea was 11th and still within a second from Checa.
Wannabe title rival Marco Melandri was just 14th as he’s learning the French track from scratch.
The beginnning of the session was red flagged almost immediately, when an unlucky Ruben Xaus crashed out during his first flying lap in the same point where French rider Romain Maitre (Kawasaki Moto 39 Competition), had probably dripped oil after tangling with Roy Ten Napel.
Mark Aitchison was also unlucky, he was a victim of two crashes.
WSBK Magny Cours FP1 Results.
1.
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′39.
0132.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′39.
1823.
Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 1′39.
2414.
Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 1′39.
2525.
Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′39.
3436.
Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′39.
5877.
Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 1′39.
6998.
Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′39.
7049.
Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′39.
70610.
Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′39.
86711.
Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 1′39.
95012.
Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 1′39.
95913.
Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′40.
09214.
Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 1′40.
18115.
Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 1′40.
33916.
Javier Fores (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 1′40.
37017.
Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′40.
59918.
Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′40.
726
