French fancy for Team HRC
Circuit de Nevers Magny-CoursWith the summer break now over, Team HRC is already setting up at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in France, where round seven of the 2022 Superbike World Championship is set to play out this weekend.
SBK rookie Iker Lecuona heads into this second half of the championship lying sixth in the general standings, just seven points from fifth, having achieved a top ten finish in every race (including a podium in the second race at Assen), except for Race2 in the Czech Republic, where he had to retire through no fault of his own. Despite a couple of crashes and resulting injuries affecting some of his races and tests, Xavi Vierge currently places tenth in what is a similarly impressive rookie season, a close fourth-place finish in the Misano Superpole Race his best result to date.
With six rounds still to run, the Spanish duo have ample opportunity to build on such encouraging results. The work has continued throughout the summer, with Team HRC very eager to keep the momentum going. The riders have also kept busy, with a very positive two-day testing session in Barcelona on 20-21 August following on from an unforgettable race week in Japan for Lecuona in early August. Iker went so far as to score an historic victory in the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race aboard the CBR1000RR-R SP, alongside fast and experienced team-mates Tetsuta Nagashima and Takumi Takahashi. Honda’s 28th success in one of the world’s most iconic race was also the factory’s first win since 2014, and a major achievement for the Spanish rider at just 22 years of age.
Located close to the towns of Magny-Cours and Nevers in the Burgundy region of France, the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours was constructed in 1960. A regular fixture on the Superbike calendar, the circuit has been hosting the production-derived championship since 2003 but has also staged MotoGP and F1 races in the past. Measuring 4.411 kilometres in length, the track incorporates seventeen turns and runs in a clockwise direction.
Schedule (CEST)
Friday
10.30 – 11.15 – SBK Free Practice 1
15.00 – 15.45 – SBK Free Practice 2
Saturday
9.00 – 9.30 – SBK Free Practice 3
11.10 – 11.25 – Superpole
14.00 – SBK Race 1
Sunday
9.00 – 9.15 – SBK Warm-up
11.00 – Superpole race
14.00 – SBK Race 2
I am happy to get back to work! The summer break allowed us to recharge our batteries, though for me it was a mixture of rest and work. First, I had a great experience at the Suzuka 8 Hours, my first ever endurance race, not just in terms of the racing but also sharing the garage and the action with my teammates. Then we had a positive test in Catalunya where we not only continued the development work, but I was also able to regain the feeling with my bike, with my position in the saddle and with the tyres, after the Suzuka experience. Now we go Magny-Cours, yet another track that is completely new to me this year and of which I know absolutely nothing. I've only watched a few videos of past races, but essentially it will be important to learn the layout on day one and then I think the work will proceed as usual.
I am happy to get back to work! The summer break allowed us to recharge our batteries, though for me it was a mixture of rest and work. First, I had a great experience at the Suzuka 8 Hours, my first ever endurance race, not just in terms of the racing but also sharing the garage and the action with my teammates. Then we had a positive test in Catalunya where we not only continued the development work, but I was also able to regain the feeling with my bike, with my position in the saddle and with the tyres, after the Suzuka experience. Now we go Magny-Cours, yet another track that is completely new to me this year and of which I know absolutely nothing. I've only watched a few videos of past races, but essentially it will be important to learn the layout on day one and then I think the work will proceed as usual.
Magny-Cours is another new track for us, but we are getting used to this kind of situation this year, so we have prepared for the weekend just as we always do. We arrive in France with added motivation, for several reasons. Over the past weeks we’ve been able to recharge the batteries after the first half of the season and we also benefitted from two very positive days of testing in Catalunya in the middle of the summer break. I particularly enjoyed those two days, because I had a first opportunity to work calmly and methodically on the bike set-up after missing the previous team tests due to injury. So now I’m looking forward to being back on my bike and with my team and feel ready to discover a new track and enjoy the racing.
Magny-Cours is another new track for us, but we are getting used to this kind of situation this year, so we have prepared for the weekend just as we always do. We arrive in France with added motivation, for several reasons. Over the past weeks we’ve been able to recharge the batteries after the first half of the season and we also benefitted from two very positive days of testing in Catalunya in the middle of the summer break. I particularly enjoyed those two days, because I had a first opportunity to work calmly and methodically on the bike set-up after missing the previous team tests due to injury. So now I’m looking forward to being back on my bike and with my team and feel ready to discover a new track and enjoy the racing.