WSBK, Magny-Cours, SSP300: Ana Carrasco victorious, Manuel González World Champion

After this penultimate round of the Championship contested in Nièvre, there will only be one race left in Qatar and the Spaniard Manuel González (Kawasaki) could be crowned at Magny-Cours if he finished in the first four of the race. Sunday, which was far from obvious in the smallest category. Two other Kawasaki riders still had a hope of the title, the Dutchman Scott Deroue, regular and winner of the last round in Portugal, and the reigning World Champion, the Spaniard Ana Carrasco, who needed a helping hand in favorable circumstances. to come back 47 points behind Manuel González.

Scott Deroue (Kawasaki Motosport) started from pole position, with Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) and the French Andy Verdoïa (BCD Yamaha MS Racing). The second row included Galang Hendra Pratama (Semakin Di Depan Biblion Motoxracing), Jeffrey Buis (MTM Racing Team) and Filippo Rovelli (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team).

In practice, Manuel González (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) had in the Nièvre its second chance to become Champion of the category, with 38 points ahead of Scott Deroue and 47 over the reigning champion Ana Carrasco. A fourth place at the end of the race was enough for Gonzalez to win the world crown, even if Deroue managed to record a second consecutive victory after that of Portimão. However, the task was not easy for the Spaniard who qualified 15th on the grid. If Gonzalez were to finish the race between fifth and ninth place, Deroue did not have to take victory for the Spanish driver to clinch the title. Carrasco absolutely had to win and hope that Gonzalez finished 14th or lower to stay in the title race. Any result other than victory for the reigning World Champion would lead to her losing her crown.

On the starting grid, the air temperature was 25° and that of the covering 29°. Andy Verdoïa had the best start ahead of Ana Carrasco, Scott Deroue, Galang Hendra Pratama and Nick Kalinin. Joseph Foray was twentieth during the first lap.

Deroue took the lead in front of Verdoïa, then Hendra Pratama replaced him, preceding Carrasco, Verdoïa and Deroue. Championship leader Manuel González was seventh.

Ana Carrasco (reigning World Champion) took command ahead of Verdoïa, who overtook the Spaniard, while González moved into third position ahead of Deroue. The first 4 of the provisional Championship ranking were in the first 4 places, in disorder.

9 laps from the checkered flag, González moved into first position ahead of Verdoïa, Carrasco and Deroue. Ieraci led the chasing group at 1.4.

Hugo de Cancellis was thirteenth, Joseph Foray fifteenth and Samuel di Sora nineteenth.

Carrasco regained the lead of the race, closely followed by González, Verdoïa and Deroue. Gonzalez regained first position, while Hendra Pratama joined this group of leaders. Foray went fourteenth and de Cancellis seventeenth.

With 3 laps to go, Carrasco led ahead of Gonzalez, Verdoïa, Deroue and Hendra Pratama. Then Carrasco, Verdoïa and González stood out slightly from their two adversaries.

Andy Verdoïa set a new best lap in 1'54.483. Scott Deroue joined the first three with 2 laps remaining. Verdoïa took the lead on the last lap, ahead of Carrasco, Deroue and González.

Ana Carrasco passed it again and won, while González finished second and was crowned World Champion. Scott Deroue finished third ahead of Andy Verdoïa. Di Sora finished fourteenth just ahead of de Cancellis, Foray eighteenth and de la Vega twenty-ninth.

Race results:

Provisional ranking of the World Championship:

Photos © worldsbk.com / Dorna