WorldSBK Magny-Cours Friday FP Results | Razgatlioglu throws down early gauntlet
Toprak Razgatlioglu starts as he means to go on with the quickest time from Friday's two free practice sessions at Magny-Cours, France.
Toprak Razgatlioglu laid down the gauntlet to his WorldSBK Championship title rivals in free practice at Magny-Cours, Round 8 of the 2021 season.
The Turk comes into the weekend bidding to put some distance between himself and series leader Jonathan Rea after an eighth win of the season last time out at Navarra drew them level on points.
Returning to the scene of his first WorldSBK wins on the privateer Puccetti Kawasaki in 2019 - two successes famously achieved from 14th on the grid - Razgatlioglu was again in fine form around the French venue, putting two tenths between himself and the third rider locked in the title fight, Scott Redding.
With the best times coming in FP2 following a damp FP1 session, Rea was third quickest aboard the Kawasaki ZX-10RR, ahead of a resurgent Chaz Davies, the Welshman looking to impress potential employers Honda, who are searching for Alvaro Bautista’s replacement ahead of his switch to Ducati.
Fittingly it was Honda completing the top five, with Leon Haslam - who is yet to agree on a new deal for 2022 - in fifth place, ahead of the other ride vying for the vacant seat, Tom Sykes.
Garrett Gerloff, Alex Lowes, newly signed Ducati rider Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Michael van der Mark rounded out the top ten, the latter suffering a technical issue in FP2.
2021 WorldSBK Magny-Cours, France | Free Practice [FP1 + FP2] RESULTS
| 2021 WorldSBK Magny-Cours, France | Free Practice [FP1 + FP2] RESULTS | Round 8 / 13 | |||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat. | WorldSBK Team | Superbike | Timing |
| 1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Pata Yamaha by BRIXX | Yamaha YZF-R1 | 1m 37.138 |
| 2 | Scott Redding | GBR | Aruba Racing Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 37.346 |
| 3 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team | KawasakI ZX-10RR | 1m 37.426 |
| 4 | Chaz Davies | GBR | Team GoEleven | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 37.472 |
| 5 | Leon Haslam | GBR | Team HRC Honda | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 37.545 |
| 6 | Tom Sykes | GBR | BMW Motorrad WorldSBK | BMW M1000RR | 1m 37.607 |
| 7 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | GRT Yamaha WorldSBK | Yamaha YZF-R1 | 1m 37.635 |
| 8 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team | KawasakI ZX-10RR | 1m 37.668 |
| 9 | Michael Ruben Rinaldi | ESP | Aruba Racing Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 37.771 |
| 10 | Michael van der Mark | NED | BMW Motorrad WorldSBK | BMW M1000RR | 1m 37.808 |
| 11 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Yamaha by BRIXX | Yamaha YZF-R1 | 1m 37.826 |
| 12 | Alvaro Bautista | ESP | Team HRC Honda | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 37.842 |
| 13 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Motocorsa Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 38.234 |
| 14 | Lucas Mahias | FRA | Puccetti Kawasaki | KawasakI ZX-10RR | 1m 38.368 |
| 15 | Jonas Folger | GER | Bonovo MGM Action | BMW M1000RR | 1m 38.919 |
| 16 | Leandro Mercado | ESP | MIE Racing | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 39.046 |
| 17 | Tito Rabat | ESP | Barni Racing Team | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 39.198 |
| 18 | Christophe Ponsson | FRA | Gil Motorsport | Yamaha YZF-R1 | 1m 39.407 |
| 20 | Kohta Nozane | JPN | GRT Yamaha WorldSBK | Yamaha YZF-R1 | 1m 39.764 |
| 21 | Loris Cresson | BEL | TPR Team Pedercini Racing | KawasakI ZX-10RR | 1m 40.591 |
