Alex Lowes secures only his second-ever World Superbike pole position in terrible conditions at Magny-Cours.
After a mixed condition morning Practice session the heavens opened at Magny-Cours. With heavy rainfall hitting the circuit the World Superbike Superpole session took place in treacherous conditions.
For only the second time in his WorldSBK career, it is Alex Lowes on pole position. The Kawasaki rider is in the hunt for the top three in the Championship, something that looks very possible this weekend.
Nicolo Bulega may have crashed in the latter stages of the session but his lap time was competitive. The rookie will start from second place at Magny-Cours on the Ducati.
The second British rider on the front row is the Bonovo Action BMW rider, Scott Redding. Just behind Redding at the head of the second row is his teammate Garrett Gerloff.
The third BMW inside the top ten is Michael van der Mark in fifth place in the middle of the second row.
The rain created mixed results as Team HRC rider, Xavi Vierge, qualified in sixth place. With Axel Bassani just behind in seventh place on the Kawasaki.
Both Pata Yamaha riders will start from the third row with Jonathan Rea in eighth and Andrea Locatelli in ninth.
Completing the top ten was Danilo Petrucci in tenth, despite an early crash.
British riders Tarran Mackenzie, Bradley Ray and Sam Lowes were outside the top ten. However, Mackenzie was in 11th, Ray in 12th and Lowes in 21st.
Magny-Cours WorldSBK, Full Superpole Results |
| 2024 French WorldSBK | Magny Cours | Superpole Results | Rd. 8 of 12 | |||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Motorcycle | Times |
| 1 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1:51.946 |
| 2 | Nicolo Bulega | ITA | Aruba.It Racing - Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:52.718 |
| 3 | Scott Redding | GBR | Bonovo Action BMW | BMW M 1000 RR | 1:52.799 |
| 4 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Bonovo Action BMW | BMW M 1000 RR | 1:53.027 |
| 5 | Michael van der Mark | NED | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | BMW M 1000 RR | 1:53.479 |
| 6 | Xavi Vierge | ESP | Team HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1:53.834 |
| 7 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1:53.889 |
| 8 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Pata Prometeon Racing | Yamaha R1 | 1:54.176 |
| 9 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Prometeon Racing | Yamaha R1 | 1:54.478 |
| 10 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | Barni Spark Racing Team | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:54.811 |
| 11 | Tarran Mackenzie | GBR | Petronas MIE Racing Honda | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1:54.887 |
| 12 | Bradley Ray | GBR | Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team | Yamaha R1 | 1:54.968 |
| 13 | Remy Gardner | AUS | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | Yamaha R1 | 1:55.993 |
| 14 | Andrea Iannone | ITA | Team GoEleven | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:56.101 |
| 15 | Michael Ruben Rinaldi | ITA | Team Motocorsa Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:56.144 |
| 16 | Philipp Oettl | GER | GMT94 Yamaha | Yamaha R1 | 1:56.583 |
| 17 | Alvaro Bautista | ESP | Aruba.It Racing - Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1:56.630 |
| 18 | Alessandro Delbianco | ITA | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | Yamaha R1 | 1:57.477 |
| 19 | Iker Lecuona | ESP | Team HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1:58.699 |
| 20 | Ivo Lopes | POR | Petronas MIE Racing Honda | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 2:01.765 |
| 21 | Sam Lowes | GBR | ELF Marc VDS Racing Team | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 2:01.867 |
| 22 | Tito Rabat | ESP | Kawasaki Puccetti Racing | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 2:02.211 |
