Chaz Davies, like Scott Redding, found the hot temperatures at Magny-Cours on Sunday an environment where he could make his best result of the weekend - fifth - ans believes the next run of races will be ad advantage for him.

But it was hot work all the same, especially following other riders so closely. “You get the heat off the bike as well. Also being with Locatelli, so you get no fresh air really, the whole race. Same yesterday. The bike, not the rider. Heat builds heat which builds heat.”

But a little discomfort never bothered Davies, who was happy enough with Sunday, and top independent in race two.  “It was solid,” said Davies. “Pretty happy with that. Felt like we had decent pace. Probably missed a bit in the early laps with being in a bit of a battle, but I felt like compared to yesterday we got through into a good position and with riders that had similar pace to what it felt like I had yesterday.

"But yesterday we couldn’t do any passing. It was like our bike was a bit of a liability, and Scott’s was the same. I saw similar things from Bassani as well in certain places. So, today when you’re in a different battle with riders, it just helps us put together our race a little bit.”

Davies was behind the collision between Locatelli and Van der Mark that almost put VDM into the pitboard forest in the pitwall in race two. It was a scary moment, even for the Welshman.

“I didn’t actually see how it started,” admitted Davies. “So, I don't know. I don't know how it started. I have a feeling that there was some elbowing going on with Michael maybe. I didn’t know. I thought I saw Michael’s elbow, which I didn’t know if he was just trying to avoid contact. I was just concentrating on the line and didn’t see exactly how it started.

"I was really worried because this big puff of smoke off Michael’s tire. I was like, ‘if he goes down in front of me now and I’ve got a rider rolling in front of me, I need to react to this in a second.’ Luckily he picked it up and carried on. But, it was scary. A bit wild.”

As a very recent World Championship contender himself, what does Davies make of the Razgatlioglu and Rea battle for the championship?

“It’s great. I think Toprak is doing an amazing job,” said Davies. “Credit to Toprak and Yamaha. They’ve done seemingly an amazing job of improving their package and taking the fight to Johnny. Toprak looks at one with the bike. But Jonathan is still Jonathan. He’s still only earning five points less every time, so he’s still there.

"For sure, they’re a competitive bunch at Kawasaki and they’re going to definitely work hard to make sure the championship stays in their workshop. It’s interesting. It’s good.”

Davies, let us not forget, has been carrying niggling injures recently, and although recovered in himself he is not into his own best routine yet, as he continues to build back.

“Yeah, I feel much better these last two weekends, to be honest,” said Davies. “Navarra was a step and here was another step. I’m 100 per cent physically, but then I’ve got some catching up to do with strength and fitness-wise. So, a little bit in that area which I think hurt me a bit this weekend, to be honest, but sometimes when you’re carrying an injury you can’t do what you’d normally want to do. I have a routine how I prepare for races and I haven’t done that for a few months.”

He sees the next three rounds - Barcelona, Jerez and Portimao - being back-to-back as a good thing for him personally, with all his experience and returning fitness. “I think it’s probably an advantage. I think so.”