Octagon

The dry but cool weather conditions continued at Magny Cours but the riders paid scant attention to whether or not the track conditions were ideal for Superpole, a competition James Toseland (HM Plant Ducati 998F03) won for the first time in his SBK career. His mark of 1:40.965 was close to the absolute best at the weekend at this new SBK venue, and he was joined in the 1:40 bracket by the new World Champion Neil Hodgson (Ducati Fila 999 F03), making huge advances compared to his earlier official times on race tyres.

The local crowd were denied the sight of their hero Regis Laconi (NCR Nortel 998RS) taking Superpole – patriotic tricolour leathers or not – but the proven SBK race winner is very much in contention for his first race wins of the year, starting third on the grid.

Fastest man after regulation qualifying was the impressive Ruben Xaus (Ducati Fila 999F03) another rider sure to fight for the wins on the 4.411km circuit on Sunday. He secured a front row start but not with the Superpole win he so desired.

The second row of the grid will feature the talents of Laguna Seca race winner Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati 998RS), who set fifth best time in what was a dramatic and somewhat unpredictable Superpole competition – started 15 minutes late because of a high number of red flags in earlier interrupted practice sessions.

Chris Walker (HM Plant Ducati) eased into sixth place, Gregorio Lavilla (Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000) losing time in the middle split and dropping from his front row start spot after regular qualifying.

Lavilla would have been particularly relived to beat the highly impressive time of World Endurance regular Sebastian Gimbert (SERT Suzuki GSX-R1000). The local wild card rider set the Superpole competition alight with his quick time early in the session, and made it a nail biting ride for some of the regular SBK competitors who set put on their Superpole laps behind him. Another wild card, Leon Haslam (Renegade Ducati 998) scored tenth, behind the DFX Pirelli Ducati of Steve Martin.

The most successful Superpole exponent ever, Troy Corser (Foggy Petronas FP-1), lost his chance of a front row start after his machine’s back end slipped sideways on the entrance to a corner, causing him to run wide, run over the gravel, but recover to post a time. Despite his brave finish he will start from 16th place on the grid, and may surprise many at this meeting, such was his pace in earlier sessions.

Troy Corser

Troy made one of the best 'saves' of his career in his Superpole lap this afternoon at Magny-Cours. He was on course for a quick lap, when his Petronas FP1 suddenly moved in an unexpected manner and almost threw him off. Troy saved that one and then a few moments later an even bigger movement threatened to spit him off completely. Somehow Troy kept the bike from tipping over, but had run out of track and so was forced to take to the gravel trap. He was still travelling at high speed and he just managed to turn the bike before hitting the tyre wall and air fence. He kept the engine running and rode through the gravel and re-joined the track to complete the lap, but lost so much time that he will start tomorrow's pair of 23-lap races from the fourth row of the grid. Briton James Toseland (Ducati) took Superpole (the first time he has done so) ahead of Neil Hodgson, Regis Laconi and Ruben Xaus - all Ducati-mounted.

TROY - 16th, 2:07.574 - "Superpole was the end of a frustrating couple of days, though it would've been much worse if I'd actually crashed and hurt myself! I've really no idea at all what happened because I don't think I was going any faster then any other lap and the telemetry backs that up. I'm not sure if it was a clutch or tyre problem, because it all happened so quickly. We've been having a bit of trouble with the clutch here and also some tyre problems due to the very cold weather. In fact the rear tyre didn't feel quite right from the start of my Superpole lap, but that could've been I'm a bit disappointed because we had a really good test here about ten days ago, but this time our engines didn't feel as strong and I just couldn't lap as quick in normal practice. It's frustrating because after our recent test here I was really looking forward to this race. Now I'm on the fourth row with a lot of work to do at a place where passing is difficult at the best of times."

HM Plant Ducati

James Toseland has taken his first ever Superbike World Championship pole position from World Champion Neil Hodgson in the final Superpole of the 2003 season at Magny-Cours in France. The 23-year-old Sheffield rider set his fastest time of the weekend – 1:40.965 – with a faultless display on his HM Plant Ducati around the 4.411km circuit.

His team-mate Chris Walker will start from the second row of the grid in Sunday’s two races after recording the sixth fastest lap in a time of 1:41.638. Walker had taken provisional pole yesterday, but wasn’t able to improve on his time after falling off in this morning’s second qualifying session.

Toseland was understandably delighted with his achievement: “It feels strange to have secured my first World Superbike pole position, but I’m over the moon with how everything has gone today. We’ve had a few problems this weekend but the team has worked really hard to turn things around for me.

“As far as tomorrow is concerned, we’ve got an excellent set-up. We’ve even been able to find a good Dunlop rear tyre that we’ve tested over race distance. So I’ll try to take advantage of being on pole to get a good start and then see if I can hang in there with the leaders to have a chance of winning my second race of the year.

“I’d like to dedicate my pole position to the HM Plant Ducati team and Dunlop. It’s no secret that they’re not running in the championship next year and I’m moving on to the factory Ducati team, so this is a good-bye present from me. I’ve had three fantastic years with the team and I’d like to thank them for giving me this opportunity and helping me to develop my career.”

Walker was nursing a few bruises after his crash this morning. “It was quite a slow front end crash as I was preparing to exit the hairpin but I hit the deck quite hard,” said the Nottingham rider. “I landed on my backside and the resultant bruising restricted my movement a bit this afternoon. It was a shame because I’d had a really good run up until that point. I’ve still been in the top six all weekend and so I’m hoping that I’ll be in the mix for the podium places tomorrow.”

Suzuki

Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Gregorio Lavilla set the seventh quickest time in Superpole and will start tomorrow's pair of 23-lap races from the second row of the grid. The Spaniard was very quick in the first (fast flowing) split, but then lost time in the second and third twistier sections finally losing out to the massed ranks of Ducatis, which filled the first six places. Young Briton James Toseland led the Ducati charge, posting a time of 1:40.965 and taking the first Superpole of his career.

Second is newly crowned champion Neil Hodgson, ahead of local favourite Regis Laconi and Ruben Xaus. Conditions were once again very cold today and there were numerous crashes in both the Superbike and Supersport classes.

What made Team Alstare Suzuki's work even harder was the fact that this weekend's conditions were completely different to when they tested ten days ago; so many of the settings just would not work. For Gregorio and the team this was a frustration they did not need, but one, which affected most of the teams in one way or another. Gregorio has made good results from the second row of the grid before and is determined to chase a podium position in the last round of the championship this year.

GREGORIO LAVILLA 7th, 1:41.964 - "The track conditions are not the same or even similar to when we tested here recently. Even worse, they were different to yesterday so it's made all our jobs very hard and a little frustrating. Yesterday's good tyre just wouldn't work at all in the same way today! The morning was very cold and many riders crashed and I didn't want to be one of them. I knew I could be fast in the first section of the track, but after that we are struggling compared to the Ducatis. My GSXR1000 seems to prefer fast and flowing circuits and Magny-Cours is not like that. Tomorrow's results will depend on how good a start I can make as this place is not so good for overtaking. But I am determined to get a good result and I would be happy to be on the podium."

Ducati Fila

Ducati Fila riders Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus both improved on their Friday qualifying times to end up with front-row grid positions for tomorrow's final round of the 2003 World Superbike championship at Magny-Cours. Ducati Fila's confirmed 2004 riders James Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) and Regis Laconi (Ducati NCR) will join them on the front row, with youngster Toseland setting his first-ever pole position.

After qualifying ninth yesterday, the new world champion asserted his authority in Superpole with a confident run to second place behind Toseland. "We put the bike back to how I normally have it after changing it too much yesterday and I felt much happier today" declared Neil.

"For Superpole I had to use my spare bike because when I came in after the warm-up, my race bike had an alternator problem. No excuses, but that bike didn't just feel the same over one lap and it stopped me from pushing that little bit harder. It's just a shame that we are racing in France this time of year because although the circuit is fantastic and we all love racing here, there have been too many crashes because of the cold conditions" he added.

Team-mate Xaus felt much happier today on the second Ducati 999 and powered to the fastest time in the morning's second and final session before gaining the final front row slot with fourth place in Superpole.

"I'm happy because I'm on the front row for the races tomorrow after taking such a long time to get the bike set-up to my liking the last two days" declared Ruben. "In Superpole I had to wait until I was last out and it was probably just that little bit colder for me to get some more heat in the tyres for my quick lap. The track is difficult because of the weather conditions but it's really nice to race here. I'll give everything tomorrow because it's the last race of the year in Superbikes and it's sure to be a tough battle at the front against the other three guys".