Yakhnich Yamaha’s Sam Lowes was leading the way in the opening World Supersport free practice session at Magny-Cours, until current champ and rival, MAHI Racing’s Kenan Sofuoglu set a super fast lap time of 1’53.649, a second and a half quicker than the fastest time clocked by the Derby lad.
Lowes managed a 1’55.089 and was languishing in sixth overall on the timing screens with less than a minute remaining and attempted a last lap dash to topple the Turkish rider, but it was not enough and Lowes had to settle for the second quickest time this morning.
Fellow Brit, ParkinGO MV rider Christian Iddon was at one point ahead of Lowes on the timing screens and was as high as second. The Stockport rider was out paced by Pata Honda’s Michael Van der Mark at the very end of the 45 minute session and fell to fourth quickest with a 1’55.681, just eight one-hundredths of a second slower than the Dutchman.
Van der Mark’s team-mate Zanetti finished the session in sixth, with Rivamoto’s Jack Kennedy ending the morning eighth fastest with a 1’56.117 lap. DMC-Lorenzini rider Kev Coghlan rounded off the top ten, with his best lap of 1’56.352, out on the damp French track.