The 6th stage of French Superbike Championship FSBK takes up residence, for the very first time, on the Anneau du Rhin circuit. Welcomed by the Moto Club de Biltzheim and the French Motorcycling Federation, the 200 riders entered this year gathered for the first highlight of the weekend: qualifying. Find out who made the difference and who will start tomorrow from the best position on the grid.
SUPERBIKES
QUALIFYING: ALAN BACK ON POLE!
The premier class riders have 12 minutes to prove themselves in this qualifying session. Killian AEBI (Junior Team LMS Suzuki – Pirelli) leads the pack on the first flying lap. At the end of this first run, Gregory LEBLANC (Ducati Team TWR – Pirelli) sets the fastest time in 1'23”659, ahead of AEBI and Matthieu GREGORIO (Ducati Team TWR – Pirelli).
Midway through the session, Kenny FORAY (Tecmas BMW Motorrad France – Michelin) lines up the best sectors and takes provisional pole. But quickly, Alan TECHER (Dafy-Rac41-Honda – Michelin) regains the lead. Enzo DE LA VEGA (Yamaha Team CMS – Pirelli), who only took to the track in the second part of the session, is very comfortable and moves into 2nd position, while FORAY drops back to 3rd.
As the checkered flag passed, it was finally a Honda that took pole! TECHER won with a superb 1'22"744, ahead of DE LA VEGA, 2nd in 1'22"786, and FORAY, 3rd in 1'22"803.
On the second row, Loris CRESSON (Tecmas BMW Motorrad France – Michelin) confirmed a fine 4th place in 1'22”918, ahead of LEBLANC, 5th in 1'23”347. Hugo CLERE (Honda Tati Team AVA6 Racing – Pirelli) completed this second row, 6th in 1'23”461.
In 7th position, we find AEBI with a time of 1'23”630, followed by Ludovic RIZZA (Honda Team EMC Développement – Michelin), 8th in 1'23”640, and Guillaume ANTIGA (Kawasaki – Dunlop), 9th in 1'23”703. GREGORIO completes the top 10 in 1'24”066.
In the Challenger category, DE LA VEGA qualified 2nd, ahead of AEBI, 7th, and GREGORIO 10th.
SUPERSPORT
QUALIFICATIONS: A NEW POLE FOR PERRIN
Challenger rider Cyprien BABY (Yamaha Team PMR – Pirelli) took the lead in the opening seconds. Bartholomé PERRIN (Yamaha DMT Racing – Pirelli) quickly found his rhythm and climbed to the top of the timesheet. Nothing was decided yet and the positions kept changing. For his part, Diego PONCET (Martin Garage-Rac41-Honda 600 – Pirelli), who was struggling at the start of the session, accelerated in the second part and temporarily moved into 2nd place, just behind PERRIN.
As the checkered flag passed, PERRIN managed to hold onto pole position thanks to a superb 1'25"017. He was ahead of PONCET, 2nd in 1'25"709, and Maxence CHACHUAT (Triumph C2M – Pirelli), 3rd in 1'26"403.
On the second row, Damien MARMION (Yamaha DMT Racing – Pirelli) took 4th place on the grid with a time of 1'26”602. He was ahead of Alexy NEGRIER (Triumph Team B2S – Michelin), 5th in 1'26”735, who finally seemed to have found the solutions with his bike, after a complicated start to the weekend. BABY completed the top 6 in 1'27”086.
On the Challenger side, BABY achieved an excellent 6th place overall thanks to his 1'27"086. Quentin GODEFROY (Yamaha Storm Factory – Pirelli) qualified 7th in 1'27"131, while Killian ROSSIGNOL (Martin Garage-Rac41-Honda 600 – Pirelli) took 10th place with a time of 1'27"390.
YAMAHA CHALLENGE SSP 700
QUALIFICATIONS: BERCOT BACK ON POLE
From the start of the session, Jules BERCOT (Yamaha FT Racing Academy – Michelin) took the lead in the standings thanks to an excellent 1'32”044, a time that no other rider would manage to beat. Gabin CAZARD (Yamaha – Michelin), this weekend's title contender, qualified 2nd with a time of 1'32”337. For his part, Benjamin CAILLET (Yamaha – Michelin), despite a small fall at the end of the session, took 3rd place on the grid with a time of 1'32”435.
On the second row, Amaury MIZERA (Yamaha – Michelin) distinguished himself by setting the 4th time in 1'32”630, just ahead of Arthur MASSY (Yamaha C2M – Michelin), 5th in 1'32”967, and Noa SOURDON (Yamaha FT Racing Academy – Michelin), 6th in 1'33”081.
GRAND PRIX OBJECTIVE BY MOTUL
QUALIFICATIONS: MACARY PUT EVERYONE IN AGREEMENT
Until the final minutes, there was a real battle to secure pole position. But finally, as the checkered flag crossed, it was Nolann MACARY (Honda KF78 Académie – Pirelli) who won, taking pole position with a time of 1:32, just ahead of Gabriel PIO (Honda BRS – Pirelli), 411nd in 2:1. Lucas BOSSON (Honda KF32 Académie – Pirelli) completed the front row with a time of 589:78.
On the second row, Johann DUBOIS (Honda KF78 Académie – Pirelli) took a fine 4th place for his return, in 1'32”748. He was ahead of Marc-Antoine AUDARD (Honda BRT Racing Service – Pirelli), 5th in 1'32”995, and Esteban NEIL (Honda Tati Team AVA6 Racing – Pirelli), 6th in 1'33”158.
MOTO 4 – MOTO 5
QUALIFICATION: MARTINEZ ONCE AGAIN ABOVE THE LOT
As usual, Léandre MARTINEZ (Beon BRS – Pirelli) attacked hard from the start. From the first timed laps, he set interesting times that no other driver seemed capable of matching. At the end of these 25 minutes of qualifying, MARTINEZ took pole position thanks to his 1'40”308. He was the only driver to go under 1'41”.
In 2nd position, we find Marceau MARGRIN (Erdog Tati Team AVA6 Racing – Pirelli) with a time of 1'41”322. Milan ENJOLRAS (Beon Tati Team AVA6 Racing – Pirelli), author of a 1'42”732, completes this first row in 3rd position.
Behind, Jacques CARPENTIER (Beon 2VS Racing Team – Pirelli) finished 4th with a time of 1'44”934. Next came the MOTO 5 category riders: Lucas Emile PAYET (Mir – Pirelli), 5th in 1'47”338, and Maho ROBIC (Erdog DMT Racing – Pirelli), 6th in 1'47”480.
RACE 1: IN THE END, MARTINEZ WINS
Polesitter Léandre MARTINEZ (Beon BRS – Pirelli) got off to the best start and led the first lap. However, he found himself under pressure from Marceau MARGRIN (Erdog Tati Team AVA6 Racing – Pirelli), who was in great form at the start of the race. Together, the two drivers quickly opened up a gap on the rest of the field.
On lap 4, MARGRIN found an opening on MARTINEZ and took the lead. But MARTINEZ wasn't done yet: he counterattacked on lap 5. The two riders were wheel to wheel, engaging in an intense duel.
Ultimately, the #8 managed to maintain the advantage until the checkered flag. MARTINEZ won ahead of MARGRIN, 2nd, and Milan ENJOLRAS (Beon Tati Team AVA6 Racing – Pirelli), 3rd. Jacques CARPENTIER (Beon 2VS Racing Team – Pirelli) completed the top 4 in the MOTO 4 category.
In MOTO 5, Lucas Emile PAYET (Mir – Pirelli), in his first participation in the category, took the victory by finishing 5th overall. He was ahead of Maho ROBIC (Erdog DMT Racing – Pirelli), 6th overall, and Juliann DE GOL (Erdog DMT Racing – Pirelli), 7th overall.
SIDE-CAR
RACE 1: VINET / VINET DOMINATES
A very good start for VITTOZ / PIRAT (F600), who took the holeshot, but from the first sector, the side poleman PEUGEOT / PEUGEOT (F2) regained the advantage and completed the first lap in the lead. The #74 then tried to widen the gap on his pursuers.
On the 3rd lap, VINET / VINET (F600) managed to regain 2nd place at the expense of VITTOZ / PIRAT and set off to chase the leading sidecar, and on the 9th lap, VINET / VINET got the better of PEUGEOT / PEUGEOT and took first position.
As the checkered flag crossed, VINET / VINET won with authority ahead of VITTOZ / PIRAT, 2nd, and CARRE / GUIARD (F600), 3rd. Victims of an engine failure, PEUGEOT / PEUGEOT had to push their sidecar to the finish line but still achieved a courageous 7th place.
ABOUT THE FRENCH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
Nearly 200 riders, divided into 7 categories, which give rise to 14 races per weekend on 7 of the most beautiful circuits in France... That's what FSBK is all about! An intense and unpredictable competition where the rider and his machine defy the laws of physics at every turn, offering a captivating spectacle to fans of the discipline.
Under the aegis of the French Motorcycling Federation (FFM), the FSBK brings together the elite of speed in France.
CALENDAR
August 30-31 : Ring of the Rhine (68) – MC Biltzheim
27-28 September : Le Vigeant (86) – VVM
