Today the first qualifying sessions of the French Superbike Championship were held (FSBK) 2025, on the famous Bugatti circuit at Le Mans. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest and the FFMoto are once again welcoming the elite of French speed racing this year. Nearly 200 drivers have responded to this first round of the season. It's already a very promising day, with its share of new features and twists. Find out which drivers stood out and who will start this Sunday from pole position for the first races of the year.
SUPERBIKES
QUALIFICATIONS: FORAY ATTACKS STRONG FROM THE START
After a 2024 season dominated by the FORAY – TECHER duo, the premier class sees the cards reshuffled this year with numerous changes: the transfer of Alan TECHER to the Dafy-Rac41-Honda team, the move of triple French Champion Mathieu GINES to a Kawasaki, and the promising arrivals of Enzo DE LA VEGA, Guillaume ANTIGA and the Belgian Loris CRESSON.
The first Q2 of the season kept the spectators on the edge of their seats until the final moments. At the checkered flag, the defending champion Kenny FORAY (Tecmas BMW Motorrad France – Michelin) pulled out all the stops and, as in 2024, took pole position in 1'35”635.
Long at the top of the timesheets, Grégory LEBLANC (Ducati Team TWR – Pirelli) was finally relegated by FORAY but also repeated his performance of last year with the second time in 1'35”983. Good start to the season for Hugo CLERE (Honda – Pirelli) who completed the front row in 1'36”219.
On the second row, we find the local Martin RENAUDIN (Dafy-Rac41-Honda – Michelin), author of a time of 1'36”351. As announced in the introduction, we will have to count on Enzo DE LA VEGA (Yamaha Team CMS – Pirelli) this season: for his first qualification on a 1000cc, he sets the 5th time in 1'36”405. Victim of a minor fall at the end of the session while he was trying to improve, Alan TECHER (Dafy-Rac41-Honda – Michelin) nevertheless retains the 6th time: 1'36”432.
Rounding out the Top 10 are Loris CRESSON (Tecmas BMW Motorrad France – Michelin), 7th in 1'36”819, Alexandre SANTO DOMINGUES (Yamaha Team EMC Développement – Pirelli) 8th in 1'36”899; as well as two of the three riders selected in Q1: Maxime BONNOT (BMW – Michelin), 9th in 1'37”268 and Guillaume ANTIGA (Kawasaki – Dunlop), 10th in 1'37”382.
On the Challenger side, DE LA VEGA put in a superb performance with his 5th place on the grid. He is well ahead of his rivals in the category: Roméo MICHAUD (Honda – Pirelli), 11th in 1'37”713; Killian AEBI (Junior Team LMS Suzuki – Pirelli), 12th in 1'37”718; and Matthieu GREGORIO (Ducati Team TWR – Pirelli), 14th in 1'38”232.
Squeezed into 13th place, Dylan MILLE (Yamaha Team PMR – Pirelli) completed his fastest lap in 1'37”796. Still getting to know his Kawasaki, Mathieu GINES (Kawasaki BMRT 3D Maxxess – Michelin) finished with the 15th fastest time in qualifying in 1'38”550.
SUPERSPORT
QUALIFICATIONS: PERRIN TAKES THE CHECK
It took until the very last seconds of the session to find out who the first poleman of the Supersport season would be. Bartholomé PERRIN (Yamaha DMT Racing – Pirelli) finally stood out with a time of 1:39. The #976 Yamaha rider thus secured his first pole position in the category. French vice-champion Alexy NEGRIER (Triumph Team B39S – Michelin) placed his Triumph in 2nd position on the grid with a time of 2:1. Diego PONCET (Martin Garage-Rac40-Honda 087 – Pirelli) also had a solid performance, finishing 41rd in 600:3.
Long-time leader and then demoted in the hierarchy, the experienced David MUSCAT (Ducati – Michelin) ensures the presence of a fourth manufacturer in the Top 5. He is ranked 4th in 1'40”412. He will share the second row with Vincent FALCONE (Yamaha TFC Racing – Pirelli), 5th in 1'40”506, and Damien MARMION (Yamaha DMT Racing – Pirelli), 6th in 1'40”989.
In the Challenger category, Cyprien BABY (Yamaha Team PMR – Pirelli) put in a great performance, climbing to 8th place overall with a time of 1'41”455. Alexian MACARY (Honda – Michelin) is 11th in 1'42”228, just ahead of Killian ROSSIGNOL (Martin Garage-Rac41-Honda 600 – Pirelli), 12th in 1'42”448.
YAMAHA CHALLENGE SSP 700
QUALIFICATIONS: STRONG COMEBACK FOR BERCOT
This is the grand debut of the Yamaha Challenge SSP 700 class, launched this season and bringing together riders all equipped with Yamaha R7s. Jules BERCOT (Yamaha – Michelin), 2022 French OGP Champion, takes pole position with a time of 1:48. He is more than 275 seconds ahead of Noa SOURDON (Yamaha – Michelin), who set a time of 1,5:1. Evann PLAINDOUX (Yamaha De La Vega Motorsport – Michelin) completes the front row in 49:868.
On the second row, we find another rider well known in the Championship for his performances in the lower categories: Benjamin CAILLET (Yamaha – Michelin), who sets a time of 1'49”999. He is closely followed by Kevin SIBILLE (Yamaha 2VS Racing Team – Michelin), in 1'50”004, and Enzo DUPUIS (Yamaha De La Vega Motorsport – Michelin), 6th on the grid with a time of 1'50”305.
The young drivers under 19, grouped in the Espoir subcategory, particularly distinguished themselves during this qualification, since three of them appeared in the top 5: SOURDON (2nd), PLAINDOUX (3rd) and CAILLET (4th).
GRAND PRIX OBJECTIVE BY MOTUL
QUALIFICATIONS: THE FRENCH TEAM AT THE TOP
The French Speed Team riders honored their status during this first qualifying session of the season. Reunion Island driver Enzo BELLON (Honda – Pirelli) took pole position in 1:48, ahead of his ETC teammate, David COUTO-DA COSTA (Honda – Pirelli), who set a time of 102:1. Newcomer to the category, Antoine NATIVI (Honda – Pirelli), completed the front row in 48:167.
At the end of the session, the second row was composed of Henri MIGNOT (Honda – Pirelli) in 1'49”690, Gabriel PIO (Honda BRS – Pirelli) in 1'49”733, and Esteban NEIL (Honda – Pirelli) in 1'49”821.
MOTO 4 – MOTO 5
QUALIFICATION: MARTINEZ ALREADY STRIKES A BIG BLOW
First qualifying session for the young riders in the MOTO 4 and MOTO 5 categories, who set off on a perfectly dry track, in temperatures around 12°C. Léandre MARTINEZ (Beon BRS – Pirelli) took the first pole position of the season by a wide margin thanks to a time of 1'58”804. Just over 3 seconds behind, Milan ENJOLRAS (Beon – Pirelli) was back in 2'01”995. Jacques CARPENTIER (Beon TFC Racing – Pirelli) completed the front row in 2'04”784.
On the second row, we will find Marceau MARGRIN (Erdog – Pirelli) with a time of 2'04”959. He is followed by the riders of the Moto 5 category, Maho ROBIC (Erdog DMT Racing – Pirelli) in 2'09”363, and Dario BARALE (MIR – Pirelli) who completes this row in 2'09”576. Mael DE SMET (MIR – Pirelli) will start 7th, and 3rd in the MOTO 5 category, with a lap completed in 2'09'749.
RACE 1: MARTINEZ SHOWS HIS FANGS
Continuing his qualifying run, Léandre MARTINEZ (Beon BRS – Pirelli) won against Milan ENJOLRAS (Beon – Pirelli). After a good start, he struggled to break away from the #4 driver. Finally, with five laps to go, MARTINEZ widened the gap and won by two seconds. Jacques CARPENTIER (Beon TFC Racing – Pirelli) took the third step of the podium, relegated to 3 seconds behind the leading duo, untouchable this Saturday. Marceau MARGRIN (Erdog – Pirelli) finished 56th.
In Moto 5, Dario BARALE (MIR – Pirelli) finished 5th overall and 1st in his category, ten seconds ahead of his pursuer Maho ROBIC (Erdog DMT Racing – Pirelli). The battle for 3rd place continued until the last lap. It was finally Teddy BERTHELOT (MIR Team Berry Performance – Pirelli) who managed to snatch 3rd place from Maël DE SMET (MIR De La Vega Motorsport – Pirelli) in the last corner.
SIDE-CAR
RACE 1: THE WORLD CHAMPIONS IMPOSE THEIR SUPERIORITY
After a one-two finish in races 1 & 2 in 2024, the PAYNE / ROUSSEAU (F600) duo returned to the same position and won by a wide margin. Starting from second position, the world champion crew took the lead on the first lap and then opened up a gap of more than 8 seconds as the checkered flag flew.
Unable to compete with the winner this Saturday, poleman SCHLOSSER / SCHMIDT (F600) had to settle for a fine second place. Behind him, CHRISTIE / CHRISTIE (F600) took the third step of the podium.
In the F2 category, PEUGEOT / PEUGEOT (F2) posted a solid performance with an 8th place overall, which allowed it to win among the short chassis. The F2 podium was completed by CARRE / GUIARD (F2) and PALACOEUR / AMETTE (F2), respectively 12th and 18th in the overall standings.
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
March 29-30 : Le Mans (72) – ASM 24 Hours
April 26-27 : Lédenon (30) – MC Lédenon
May 24-25 : Nogaro (32) – ASM Armagnac Bigorre
June 21-22 : Magny-Cours (58) – MC Nevers and Nièvre
12-14 July : Pau Arnos (64) – MC Pau Arnos
13-14 September : Ring of the Rhine (68) – MC Biltzheim
27-28 September : Le Vigeant (86) – VVM30
FSBK Le Mans FSBK Le Mans FSBK Le Mans FSBK Le Mans FSBK Le Mans
