The first-ever FIM Sportbike World Championship season has produced some of the paddock’s most stunning racing this season, and now, their sixth instalment this season, the Acerbis French Round is just around the corner. David Salvador (Team ProDina Kawasaki XCI) leads, 34 points ahead of his teammate Antonio Torres, but just behind him, Xavi Artigas (MTM Kawasaki) leads the rest of the grid, who will look to snap up any opportunity to climb up the order offered to them. Manufacturers’ and Teams’ titles may also be won in France, as if these hungry young riders needed any more motivation
35 POINTS TO SPLIT THE TOP THREE
Salvador made it back-to-back wins on the top step of the podium at Misano and now rides into Magny-Cours with another tremendous opportunity to isolate himself at the top of the standings. Behind him, Torres is still well within striking distance, and despite wearing the same colours, don’t expect the pair to pull any punches in France. Further complicating things, fellow Spaniard Artigas rides just a single point behind Torres; look for both the #47 and the #34 to take no prisoners at Magny-Cours to make up for an off-pace showing last time out, Torres finishing in P5 and P10, and Artigas P7 and P5.
BUIS NEEDING A STEP
Jeffrey Buis (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) and his Suzuki GSX-8R are currently sitting 57 points back from Salvador in P1, and while faint, his title dreams would be back on track if he can get back on the podium, something he’s had a knack for at Magny-Cours in WorldSSP300, including six podiums, four of those being wins. However, the #6 suffered a crash while racing in the Euro Moto championship’s round at Assen, and he will have to first be approved by the medical centre at Magny-Cours prior to competition. Just eight points behind him, Matteo Vannucci (Revo-M2) has looked similarly strong on his day, showing off the Aprilia RS 660 Factory’s speed in his win and pair of podiums in 2026, yet he has struggled with unfortunate DNFs. He landed a double podium here last season in WorldSSP300, and he will need to score solid points in order to keep up with the ascendant Australian just six points behind him, Carter Thompson (Team BrCorse), who has caught fire over the last two rounds. He has taken three podiums in four races as he carries the Yamaha flag up the order to currently sit in sixth.
IERACI LOOKS TO FOLLOW UP ON MAIDEN WIN
Bruno Ieraci (CM Triumph Factory Racing) recovered from not scoring a single point at Aragon to win Race 1 at Misano, his first win this season and leaving him just five points out of sixth place. Ferre Fleerackers (Track & Trades Wixx Racing) will start the round from eighth in the standings, just four points behind the Italian. He’s struggled over the last two rounds, scoring only 12 points. he still finds himself in eighth, however, and as he’s only 23 points out from P4, he could launch himself back up the order this weekend. Fenton Seabright (PHR Performance Triumph) holds P9, looking to keep the ball rolling after showing much-improved form over the last two rounds, landing back-to-back podiums at Aragon then at Misano after only scoring nine points all season up to that point. A mere two points behind the Englishman, Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) rounds off the top ten, and he will look to return to the top of the podium like he did last season here in WorldSSP300.
MIZERA SET TO MAKE WILDCARD APPEARANCE
French rider Amaury Mizera will make his debut in the WorldSBK paddock this round. The Frenchman rode in the Red Bull Rookies’ Cup in 2022 and 2023 and currently rides in the French Yamaha R7 championship. As for the category’s full-time riders, Phillip Tonn (Kove Racing Team 109) will be replaced by WorldSSP300 race winner Hugo de Cancellis. Felix Mulya (ProGP Nitiracing) looks to return to the circuit after his injury at Misano, similar to Tomas Alonso (Miguel Oliveira Team), who was hurt at Most; both riders will await the all-clear from the medical centre before taking to the track. Filling in for Ioannis Peristeras with MMR, Dutch rider Jurrien van Crugten will ride atop the team’s Aprilia-made bike.
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