Walker duly took his second third place finish of the day, from Lavilla and privateer rider Steve Martin. Martin's finish matched his best of the season at Valencia, using a new type of Pirelli tyre.
In the World Championship Hodgson's 13 wins have contributed massively to his final total of 489 points, with Xaus second on 386, having taken seven victories. Toseland – with one glorious Oschersleben win to his credit - has 271, and Laconi dropped from third to fourth overall with 267 points and no wins.
Walker rode his heart out for his podium finishes and sixth in the championship, while Pierfrancesco Chili suffered the agony of a double DNF and remained on the 197 points he came to France with. He finished seventh overall – although he has the personal satisfaction of a race win at Laguna Seca nestling in his list of 2003 results.
Steve Martin's season in WSBK delivered him eighth overall, from Pedercini Ducati rider Lucio Pedercini and Martin's own team-mate Marco Borciani.
Meanwhile, the bizarre happenings at Magny Cours included a crash on the second race warm-up lap for Foggy Petronas Racing rider
Troy Corser. His eighth place in race one was encouraging for his team but James Haydon, in his last races for the Anglo-Malaysian race team, crashed after Ivan Clementi clashed with him in race one, and then highsided out in race two.
Corser finished the championship in overall 12th, losing out to Borciani and Mauro Sanchini on the final day of action in the 2003 season.
