Despite the chill Kenan Sofuoglu managed to take the number one spot on his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda.
British rider Tommy Hill on the SSP Yamaha finished the early morning session in second place. After a disappointing weekend at Vallelunga which saw him crash out early in the race, Hill is determined to finish his stint with the SSP team on a high. He led for a large part of the session and once at the sharp end he never dropped out of the top three.
David Checa put in a late charge to put his GMT 94 Yamaha into third place. The Spanish rider recently competed at the Bol D'Or endurance event held at Magny-Cours and is very familiar with the famous circuit.
Team-mate to Hill, Broc Parkes was pushed out of the top three by Checa. The hard riding Aussie had to settle for fourth place in this first on track session.
Slightly further down the field the French connection were sticking together with Fabien Foret on the Gil Motorsport Kawasaki running in fifth place and fellow country man Sebastien Charpentier on the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda in sixth. The former World Supersport Champion, Charpentier is hoping to give his team a good result at his home round following what has been one of his toughest seasons.
Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha rider Massimo Roccoli picked up seventh ahead of fellow Italian Gianluca Nannelli on the Caracchi Ducati. Team-mates Vesa Kallio and Barry Veneman on the Hoegee Pioneer Suzukis completed the top ten in ninth and tenth respectively.
WSS free practice times (1) – Magny-Cours:
1.
Kenan Sofuoglu
2. Tommy Hill
3. David Checa
4. Broc Parkes
5. Fabien Foret
6. Sebastien Charpentier
7. Massimo Roccoli
8. Gianluca Vizziello
9. Vesa Kallio
10. Barry Veneman
