10:34
Just a confirmation that Gardner crossed the line eighth but was dropped to ninth after the flag because the stewards weren't happy with his move on Vierge at turn 15 on the final lap.
Nicolo Bulega, 2026 French WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
LIVE
French WorldSBK LIVE: Updates the Superpole Race at Magny-Cours
Live coverage of the Superpole Race at the 2026 French WorldSBK at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours.
Live updates from Superpole Race at the 2026 French WorldSBK at Magny-Cours. The Superpole Race is due to start this morning at 11:10 local time, with Race 2 coming up this afternoon at 14:00.
Key Updates
- Bulega takes the lead on lap three
- Lecuona leads Bulega at the start as Sam Lowes holds off Surra
- Superpole Race to start at 11:10 local time/10:10 BST
Nicolo Bulega has topped every session so far this weekend, from FP1 through to Warm Up this morning. His Race 1 victory was his 24th of the season, meaning two more today will bring him within one of equalling Alvaro Bautista's record of 27 from 2023.
Iker Lecuona took second place yesterday but felt he had "bad luck" with the timing of the red flag for Tommy Bridewell's crash at turn 14. The Spaniard's P2 was enough to guarantee Bulega cannot win the title today at Magny-Cours.
Third place for Sam Lowes yesterday was his second podium in three races, but the British rider feels he is without the potential to challenge the front two, having finished three seconds behind Lecuona yesterday.
Alex Lowes was the best of the non-Ducati riders in fifth, although he was not overjoyed with that particular badge. He admitted after the race that it was "frustrating" trying to battle with Yari Montella for fourth.
The aforementioned Bridewell started last yesterday as a result of a yellow flag infringement that earned him a back-of-the-grid penalty. He'll take his position from Superpole on this morning's grid: seventh, at the front of the third row.
Only 20 riders will compete today: Tarran Mackenzie was declared unfit on Thursday, and Bahattin Sofuoglu ruled himself out on Friday when he sustained a concussion in an FP2 crash.
06 Sep 2026
10:31
Superpole Race Result
2026 french worldsbk - superpole race results
Nicolo Bulega, 2026 French WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
10:27
Nicolo Bulega wins Magny-Cours Superpole Race
It's victory for Nicolo Bulega at Magny-Cours in the Superpole Race. Lecuona and Montella complete the podium after a final lap crash for Sam Lowes at turn three.
Surra takes fourth, ahead of Alex Lowes, Bridewell, Baldassarri, Gardner, and Vierge who takes the final point in ninth. Locatelli completes the top-10.
10:23
Lap 8/10
Into the final two laps now and Bulega leads by 2.5s over Lecuona, who is 1.5s clear of Lowes, who in turn is a second clear of Montella.
10:22
Dixon was running in ninth but he's run on at turn 15 and he's back to 16th with three to go.
10:19
1m34.750s for Bulega on lap five is a new race lap record for the Italian, actually his second of the race.
10:17
Ducati drama
Lecuona out-braked himself at turn five and had no choice but to go to the inside. Almost hit Bulega, but the Italian just avoided him.
Bulega controlled the inside at turn six and Lecuona had to cut turn seven as a result. Sam Lowes briefly retook second, but Lecuona reclaimed it at the Imola Chicane.
It's cost Lecuona 1.5s to Bulega and Montella is closer to Lowes as a result, too.
10:15
Montella up to fourth on lap three. Sam Lowes is breaking away with that final rostrum position, so a second to make up for the Italian if he wants to get back on the podium.
10:14
Bulega back to the front
Bulega strikes back on Lecuona at turn five, he leads on lap three.
10:13
Six Ducatis in the top-seven o lap two and about a second then back to Vierge. Alex Lowes the only non-Ducati in there in P6.
10:11
Lecuona to the front at turn five on the first lap. Surra was briefly third but Lowes responded at turn six.
10:11
Superpole Race start
It's lights out at Magny-Cours and we're underway for the Superpole Race.
Good start for Bulega and he makes the holeshot from Lecuona and Sam Lowes.
10:09
Some interesting tyre choices on row three, all three of them on the SCQ. Dixon as well. Front two rows all with the SCX.
10:08
Warm-up lap
Riders are off on their warm-up lap ahead of this 10-lap Magny-Cours Superpole Race.
09:58
Conditions
Dry conditions once again for the Superpole Race at Magny Cours. Similar conditions to Superpole with 23C air temperature and 28C track temperature.
09:49
Grid
Here is the starting order for today's Superpole Race, with the Ducatis at the front and the BMWs more or less at the back.
| 1 | Nicolo Bulega | ITA | Aruba.it Racing Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 2 | Sam Lowes | GBR | Marc VDS Racing Team | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 3 | Iker Lecuona | ESP | Aruba.it Racing Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 4 | Yari Montella | ITA | Barni Spark Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 5 | Alberto Surra | ITA | Motocorsa Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 6 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | Bimota KB998 |
| 7 | Tommy Bridewell | GBR | Superbike Advocates Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 8 | Lorenzo Baldassarri | ITA | Team Go Eleven | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 9 | Xavi Vierge | ESP | Pata Maxus Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
| 10 | Jake Dixon | GBR | Honda HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R |
| 11 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Maxus Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
| 12 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Kawasaki WorldSBK Team | Kawasaki ZX-10RR |
| 13 | Remy Gardner | AUS | GYTR GRT Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
| 14 | Alvaro Bautista | ESP | Barni Spark Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R |
| 15 | Stefano Manzi | ITA | GYTR GRT Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
| 16 | Somkiat Chantra | THA | Honda HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R |
| 17 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team | Bimota KB998 |
| 18 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | ROKiT BMW Motorrad | BMW M1000 RR |
| 19 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | ROKiT BMW Motorrad | BMW M1000 RR |
| 20 | Mattia Rato | ITA | Motoxracing Yamaha | Yamaha R1 |
09:44
Lowes "missing a bit"
Sam Lowes was on the podium for the second time in three races yesterday in third, behind the two factory Ducatis, but he admitted afterwards that challenging them today will be difficult without improvements to the consistency of the front feeling he has on the Marc VDS Ducati.
Full story here.
Sam Lowes, 2026 French WorldSBK, parc ferme. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
09:33
Warm Up results
2026 french worldsbk - warm up result
Nicolo Bulega, 2026 French WorldSBK. Credit: Gold and Goose.
© Gold & Goose
09:31
Welcome to live coverage of today's WorldSBK races from Magny-Cours, where the Superpole Race will be underway in around 40 minutes at 11:10 local time.