STATS ROUND-UP: the history made from a magnificent Magny-Cours round
Impressive numbers, historic achievements and mesmerising moments encapsulate a mighty weekend of record-breaking events in France
The 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship continues to break records and the Pirelli French Round at Magny-Cours was no exception. The French circuit played host to freaky coincidences, spooky numbers and intriguing landmarks – as much as the wacky races that we enjoyed. Here’s a round-up of all of the statistical milestones that were reached in Nevers.
350 – For the 350th time in WorldSBK history, three different manufacturers on the podium, achieved in the Tissot Superpole Race by Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK), Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).
170 – For the 170th time in WorldSBK, Yamaha had at least one bike on the front – their total front row places number is 208.
71/26 – After his double on Sunday, Razgatlioglu is now just one win behind levelling with double World Champion Doug Polen. He currently has 26. In terms of podiums, Razgatlioglu now has 71, level with another double World Champion, Max Biaggi.
61 – Spain is now just one win away from equalling the 62 of Japan in the WorldSBK country win rankings, after Bautista delivered the 61st for them on Saturday in Race 1.
45 – The 45th podium for Alvaro Bautista, putting him level with other WorldSBK runners-up Leon Haslam (2010) and Stephane Mertens (1989).
40 – Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) achieved his 40th podium in Race 1; at the time, this was from his 80th start. In the Superpole Race, Razgatlioglu achieved his 70th during his 140th start.
27 – After the Magny-Cours round, 27 points cover fourth to ninth in the standings, from Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) to Iker Lecuona (Team HRC).
24 – After his Race 1 win, Bautista is now level with 2011 Carlos Checa for Spanish rider with the most wins: 24.
21 – Race 2’s fastest lap by Razgatlioglu means the reigning World Champion has now levelled with ex-runner-up in WorldSBK, Marco Melandri, at 21 fastest laps; they’re tied in 14th overall in this tally.
18 – Toprak Razgatlioglu’s record streak of leading races continues, now at 18.
13 – A record was equalled in WorldSBK during the Superpole Race: Razgatlioglu, Bautista and Rea shared a podium for the 13th time this season. They will look to make it 14 together and surpass 2021’s record, which was set by Razgatlioglu and Rea again, but in the company of Scott Redding.
13 – With second on the grid at Magny-Cours, Razgatlioglu took his 13th consecutive front row. If the run continues to the end of the season (the next five rounds), he will set 18 consecutive front row starts, a new record in the WorldSBK Championship.
12 – Jonathan Rea’s win drought is now the longest it has been in his period with Kawasaki. It’s the longest it has been since Miller Motorsport Park Race 1 in 2012 to Moscow Raceway Race 1 in 2013, when it was a dry spell of 33 races.
8 – For the first time in eight years, there were no British winners in the WorldSBK paddock at Magny-Cours.
5 – For the first time in 2022, Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) took a top five in Superpole and in a race – he achieved it in Race 1, his 75th WorldSBK start.
2 – For two riders on two different manufacturers, second place in the races this weekend was their best result of the season: Scott Redding in Race 1, Michael Ruben Rinaldi in Race 2.
2 – Two podiums for Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) at Magny-Cours; the last time an Independent Ducati rider took two podiums in one weekend was during the Teruel Round of 2020, when Michael Ruben Rinaldi took Team Goeleven to a first win and two other rostrums at Aragon.
1 – First front row of 2022 for Redding, who also led a lap for the first time in 2020 in Race 1.
0.000 – For the first time ever in WorldSBK history, two riders set an identical pole lap time – the 1’36.124 set by Rea and Razgatlioglu saw Rea on pole, courtesy of his second-fastest time being quicker than Toprak’s. Meanwhile, in the Superpole session, 13 riders covered by less than a second, the most so far this season and the second-highest at Magny-Cours, after 16 riders were covered by a second in 2010. Back then, it was a knockout system of Superpole, not a single session style.
Watch EXTENSIVE round highlights here and watch the action LIVE with the WorldSBK VideoPass!
