Currently he is on seven race wins, equalling the record of another former Ten Kate Honda champion,
Karl Muggeridge, but a victory in France would set him out on his own on eight. He has reasons to be hopeful, having been on for the win in 2006 before finishing an easy second behind team leader Sebastien Charpentier, as the Frenchman stole the title.
Fabien Foret (GIL Kawasaki) had a dreadful time at Vallelunga but the mercurial French talent hopes his machine set-up will be optimised enough to allow him to keep second overall, as Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport Team) is only 15 points adrift now.
Katsuaki Fujiwara (Althea Honda) will have to win the race at Magny-Cours and hope that Parkes does not score to get back into the third place he held for a long time this year but - while still nursing a recently broken left foot - he may have more to worry about from behind, as Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni) is now only nine points adrift of the Japanese ace, despite a DNF in Italy.
