15:24
Lap 10/12
Bulega with over 2.5s over Lecuona as we head onto the penultimate lap.
Closest battle in the top-10 is Gerloff vs Vierge for P9.
Nicolo Bulega, 2026 French WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
French WorldSBK LIVE: Reaction after Bulega wins red-flagged Race 1
Live coverage of Race 1 at the 2026 French WorldSBK at the Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours.
Live updates from the Superpole session at the 2026 French WorldSBK at the Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours. Superpole is due to start at 11:15 local time, with Race 1 coming up this afternoon at 15:30.
Key Moments
- Bulega wins red-flagged Race 1
- Bulega leads restart after early battle with Lecuona
- Red flag with 12 laps to go for Bridewell crash at turn 14
Nicolo Bulega came into Saturday having been Friday's fastest rider, setting the best time in both practices yesterday. The Italian was unhappy with his feeling yesterday, despite his pace, but made another bit of history this morning by taking his ninth consecutive pole from the start of the season, and 10th in total.
Sam Lowes was second to Bulega in Superpole, while Iker Lecuona was third. He's introduced some elements of the setup he used in his MotoGP fill-in rides at Gresini to his WorldSBK setup this weekend, but was left frustrated with his P3 this morning.
Xavi Vierge the leading non-Ducati rider in fourth yesterday afternoon, but was only ninth this morning. The Spaniard's future is at the centre of some speculation which also involves Jack Miller and a potential move for Vierge to Barni Ducati, but all the former Moto2 rider can say for the moment is that he'll be in WorldSBK next year.
Outside the top-10, Jake Dixon made perhaps the biggest impression on Friday, finishing 11th in both sessions on a day that he said afterwards marked "a step" compared to where he was before the summer. He improved to 10th in Superpole, and will start ninth for Race 1 as Tommy Bridewell serves a back-of-the-grid penalty for breaching yellow flag procedure in practice.
The field will be two riders light today as a result of Tarran Mackenzie's absence after being declared unfit on Thursday, and of Bahattin Sofuoglu's second crash of Friday at turn one in FP2, which left the Turkish rider concussed.
05 Sep 2026
19:41
Alex Lowes: "Frustrating" to slip backwards after red flag
Alex Lowes says he was frustrated after the red flag in Race 1 today to slip behind Yari Montella, having felt he could've battled Sam Lowes for third before the stoppage for Tommy Bridewell's crash.
Full story here.
Alex Lowes, 2026 French WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
18:31
Lecuona's "bad luck"
Iker Lecuona was within a second of Nicolo Bulega today in the first start, but ended up over three seconds adrift in the restart.
The Spaniard says he was unlucky with the timing of the red flag, which left the restarted race too short for him to exploit what he feels is his strength over Bulega this weekend.
Full story here.
Iker Lecuona, 2026 French WorldSBK, leaving pit box. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
17:59
Bulega at "90 per cent" during Race 1 win
Nicolo Bulega says he was only at "90 per cent" during his dominant Race 1 win today.
The Italian says he felt better than yesterday, when he complained of a poor feeling on the bike despite topping both sessions, but says there is room to improve for tomorrow.
Full story here.
Nicolo Bulega, 2026 French WorldSBK, podium. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
16:53
2027 calendar rumours
WorldSBK is reportedly set to welcome two new circuits in 2027.
Well, sort of, anyway - one of the new venues has been on the calendar before but not since 2010, while the other would be a trip to an all-new country for the series.
Full story here.
Noriyuki Haga, 2010 Spanish WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
16:00
Championship standings after Race 1
2026 french worldsbk - championship standings after race 1
Nicolo Bulega, 2026 French WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
15:32
Race 1 result
2026 french worldsbk - race 1 results
Nicolo Bulega leads Iker Lecuona, 2026 French WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
15:27
Bulega wins Magny-Cours Race 1
It's victory for Bulega in Race 1 at Magny-Cours, but Lecuona's P2 confirms the title battle will go to Cremona.
Sam Lowes completes the podium ahead of Montella, Alex Lowes, Baldassarri, Bassani, Surra, Gerloff, and Vierge in the top-10. Dixon passed Locatelli for 11th on the final lap.
15:21
Lap 8/12
Bulega now 2.4s clear at the front ahead of Lecuona, who is another 2s ahead of Sam Lowes, who is now in turn 2s clear of Montella.
Four to go, looks like podium positions are settled.
15:18
Lap 6/12
Six to go in Race 1. Bulega continuing to manage the race from the front as, further back, Montella finally got the better of Alex Lowes on that lap.
15:16
P4 battle
Behind the front three there's a huge battle for P4 between Alex Lowes, Montella, and Baldassarri. Surra and Bassani not a million miles away from it, either.
15:13
Lap 3/12
Bulega leads by a second onto lap four. Sam Lowes a further second back.
Bautista crashed that lap at turn 15, lost the front in braking.
Only 13 riders left in this one now.
15:11
Bulega makes his move at turn five, but it takes until turn six to complete it. Lecuona is held up through the chicane as a result and Sam Lowes briefly takes P2 before Lecuona responds at turn eight.
Decent lead for Bulega now as a result of that.
15:09
Bulega covers the inside at turn five but runs wide and allows Lecuona to out-drag him to turn six. Lecuona leads.
15:08
Race 1 restart
It's lights out again for Race 1. Baldassarri made it to the grid.
Holeshot for Bulega again from Lecuona and Loweses - Sam from Alex.
15:07
Baldassarri has crashed on the warm-up lap. Riders are arriving on the grid.
15:05
Warm-up lap
Riders off on their warm-up lap ahead of this 12-lap restarted Race 1.
15:02
Pit lane open
Pit lane is open again in Magny-Cours and the riders are heading to the grid. Pit lane will be open for one minute as part of the quick start procedure.
14:56
Pit lane will not be opening any time soon based on the TV images, which are showing the repairs still underway.
Six minutes is the current countdown on the broadcast, which will be 16:02 local time.
14:55
Bridewell has been taken to the medical centre after his turn 14 crash.
14:54
Pit lane to open at 15:56 local time, so in about two minutes.
14:52
Manzi crash
And here's the Manzi crash, just lost the rear changing direction in the last chicane.
14:51
The race will be restarted over 12 laps. No restart time yet.
14:51
Bridewell crash aftermath
Here's footage of the aftermath of Bridewell's crash.
14:49
Red flag is for Bridewell's crash. He went into the barrier on the inside of turn 15, where Razgatlioglu hit the wall in practice in 2024. Thankfully there are air fences there now. Looks like he didn't reach the barrier himself but the bike has gone in and damaged the air fence.