Magny-Cours Facts & Figures
• Max Biaggi never won in Magny Cours, but he has obtained good results since he has always finished inside the top-6, with three podiums, two of them last year. Max was able to climb through the field after a first lap off-track excursion in 2007: fifteenth after the first lap, sixth at the chequered flag;
• Shane Byrne was able to finish both last year's races inside the top-10, in eighth and seventh;
• Carlos Checa finished in the top-10 in all four of his Magny-Cours races, his best being a fourth in race two, 2008;
• Troy Corser has the record for the highest number of races contested in Magny Cours, fourteen, he has stepped onto the rostrum four times and was the polesitter in 2004 and 2006;
• Cal Crutchlow scored pole, posted the fastest lap and finished second in last year's Supersport race, beaten to the flag by Joan Lascorz;
• Michel Fabrizio obtained only two top-10 placements out of eight races contested: in 2007, race two (ninth) and last year in race one (fourth). Last year he obtained his best qualifying result here, starting from the front row with the third time. He was on pole and finished third in the 2005 Supersport race. He was also on pole in the 2003 Superstock race, ending up fourth under the chequered flag;
• Noriyuki Haga is the master of the French track, with five wins out of twelve races contested, three straight with a double in 2007 and race one in 2008. Noriyuki was always on the podium except for the first race in 2005 when he fell and race two in 2006 when he finished fourth. He was on pole in 2008;
• Leon Haslam raced six times in Magny Cours, the first four in the years 2003-2004, the last two last year, when he was twice fifth, his best result;
• Lorenzo Lanzi was the race winner in 2005, race two. In 2007 he was victim of a nasty accident at the first turn which prevented him from taking part in race two. In the Superstock 1000 championship he started second behind Michel Fabrizio in 2003, winning the race from James Ellison;
• Max Neukirchner's best result is a fourth obtained in the first 2007 race, starting from the second grid spot;
• Jonathan Rea was third in race two last year. In 2008 he took part in this track at his last Supersport race, starting second but finishing tenth after a contact with Robbin Harms;
• Luca Scassa was thirteenth in race one last year at his Superbike debut in this track. He took part in four races of the Superstock 1000 championship here, scoring as best result a fourth in 2007;
• it's an unlucky venue for Jakub Smrz, retired four times out of six: his best result is a tenth in race one last year;
• Tom Sykes is looking for his first race completed in Magny Cours: last year he fell twice;
• James Toseland comes back to the track where he won his first Superbike title in 2004, scoring the win in race one and controlling his rivals in race two. James won again in 2006, always in race one, while in 2007 he was crowned champion again in Magny Cours thanks to a seventh and a sixth place. Toseland obtained here his maiden Superbike pole in 2003 and was on pole also in the 2007 edition;
• Ruben Xaus was second and first in the 2003 races, his only podium placements out of eight races contested. Last year he finished outside the top-10 in eleventh and twelfth.
Other notes
• Ducati is the most successful team in Magny Cours, with ten wins to Yamaha's four and Honda's two. In the last two editions Ducati and Yamaha alternated on the top step of the podium;
• the last win by Honda here dates back 2006, race one (James Toseland);
• the only Ducati pole was scored by Toseland (his first one) in 2003.
Milestones in France
Superbikes ran in France from 1988 to 1991 and then from 2003 onwards. The tracks were Le Mans and Paul Ricard from 1988 to 1990 and Magny Cours from 1991 onwards. These are the milestones recorded on French ground:
1988, Le Mans: Fabrizio Pirovano scored his first win;
2003, first pole position for James Toseland;
2005, 10th win for Chris Vermeulen. In race 2 Lorenzo Lanzi scored his first fastest lap and Noriyuki Haga his 50th podium finish;
2006, Troy Bayliss started his 100th race in the World Superbike Championship;
2007, Troy Corser beat the all-time record of race starts that belonged to Pierfrancesco Chili. The Italian counts 276 race starts and after the Magny Cours weekend Corser was at 277. First fastest lap for Max Neukirchner;
2008, Magny Cours: Troy Bayliss scored his 50th win in race two;
2009, Ben Spies equalled the season record of pole positions, ten, set by Doug Polen back in 1991.
Supersport Flash Data
• The Honda CBR600RR won, scored pole and fastest lap five times out of seven in Magny Cours. In the last two editions however the pole was set by a Yamaha R6;
• the only rider to have scored two wins in Magny Cours is Karl Muggeridge (2003 and 2004);
• the record for the highest number of podium finishes belongs to Broc Parkes, with four, three straight from 2004 to 2007. Sofuoglu is able to equal this record this year.
