More than four years later, Michael van der Mark returned to winning ways in the World Superbike Championship. This Saturday, the ROKiT BMW rider navigated a dramatic first race in Magny-Cours, marked by rainy conditions.
NicolĆ² Bulega (Aruba.it Ducati) had the strongest start, taking the lead in the first corner ahead of Alex Lowes (Kawasaki), who had started from pole position. The British rider regained the lead in the opening lap, while van der Mark was in third place, and Bulega crashed out before the lap was completed.
š„CRASH AT TURN 17 š„@nbulega and @jonathanrea are the ones involved š¤Æ#FrenchWorldSBK š«š· pic.twitter.com/LMSef0oNyA
— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) September 7, 2024
Rain began on the third lap, and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) crashed after reaching podium positions. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) also joined the fight. The rain forced riders into the pits to change tyres with 17 laps remaining.
After the tyre changes, Gerloff was leading but crashed at turn seven.
Gerloff crashes as he was wearing INTERN tyres and the track is getting wetter š„š„#FrenchWorldSBK š«š· pic.twitter.com/vbDQt0xNSy
— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) September 7, 2024
With 14 laps to go, the battle for the lead was between van der Mark and Lowes, with Ćlvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Ducati) in third after starting from 17th. Lowes regained the lead with 13 laps left, only to crash two laps later while in front.
NOO!!! ALEX LOWES CRASHES FROM THE LEAD š¤ÆšÆ#FrenchWorldSBK š«š· pic.twitter.com/l7ZFaK9oZP
— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) September 7, 2024
The conditions were treacherous, and any mistake was unforgiving. In the last ten laps, the fight for the podium involved van der Mark, Bautista, and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team/Ducati).
With a clear track and no spray ahead, van der Mark managed to isolate himself at the front, avoiding any potential attacks. In the end, the Dutchman won with an 8.288s lead over Bautista. Petrucci didnāt have the pace to keep up with the top two but secured a solid third place, 24.285s behind the winner.
Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) and Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven/Ducati) completed the top five, ahead of Iker Lecuona (Team HRC)… who only finished ahead of his teammate Xavi Vierge because the latter was penalized by 6.495 seconds for an infraction during the tyre change, dropping him from sixth to seventh.
Results:
