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Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team concluded a successful day of testing in France, despite the frequent interruptions of rainfall at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. Alex Lowes and Sylvain Guintoli returned to their YZF-R1s, and the WorldSBK riders were also joined on track by Pata Yamaha Official STK1000 rider Florian Marino, who on his comeback from injury completed 35 laps.

Lowes immediately got up to speed on his Superbike after his MotoGP™  debut with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team at Silverstone, doing 46 laps as he evaluated electronics and chassis progression amid set-up preparation for the coming races. Humid conditions brought the rain as the afternoon session began, delaying proceedings, but the British rider remains confident that the correct steps have been taken in readiness for the Championship's return at Laustizring, in Germany, in a fortnight's time - followed by the French Round back at the Magny-Cours track in early October.

Guintoli looked confident as he got back to grips with his native track, completing 24 laps as he continued the work started in Germany last month. Enjoying the return to a track he favours, the Frenchman allowed the familiar layout to ease his progress as he adjusted to the much-developed YZF-R1, before the rain again stopped play in the mid-afternoon.  

With two local riders present and the forthcoming French round of the WorldSBK Championship just around the corner, the three Pata Yamaha representatives took the opportunity to join the circuit for a live press conference during the lunchbreak, promoting the race event and answering questions on the day's activities for the attending media.

"It's been nice to get back on the YZF-R1 and back with the team today at Magny-Cours," said Alex Lowes, who got back on track with WorldSBK duties after a points scoring finish in the MotoGP™ race at Silverstone. "It's been a shame that we haven't managed to do as much work as we had hoped with the weather conditions, so we haven't done many laps but I felt good. I think we've made some good steps over the summer break so I'm looking forward to the next few WorldSBK races."

"It was good to be able to do a few laps here today, for me it was the next step to be able to get back up to speed," added Sylvain Guintoli, who was back on the bike again for the second time since his crash in Imola. "We actually got up to speed quite quickly and found a good feeling straight away on the Magny-Cours track. I really like this circuit and have been looking forward to coming back here. Getting back on the race bike at Lausitzring was a little different as I had no reference but here I know the track so well, I like riding it, and I know what kind of lap-times I can do here, so it was good to be back up to speed quickly and it just felt like everything is in the right place. It's a shame for the conditions, that we couldn't make the most of it today but what we have managed was positive."

"I feel great to be back riding a Yamaha YZF-R1 again!" said STK1000 rider Florian Marino. "After such a long break it does feel a little like everything is new to me, I was feeling a little tight and stiff this morning but that gets better session by session and I'm enjoying it, which is the most important thing. I can really feel that my leg is getting better week by week and on the bike it is not too bad. I am looking forward to building my confidence back and I am taking my time with this so far but I am happy to be on the bike today. I didn't expect to get back riding my bike this year so to be here already is very good. Let's see what the future will bring but I feel optimistic about the coming races."

The Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team will now return to base for final preparations ahead of the Pirelli German Round in just under two weeks' time, while Alex Lowes will again return to the MotoGP™ paddock and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli this coming weekend, for his second race aboard the YZR-M1 as he replaces injured Bradley Smith.