The FIM Supersport 300 World Championship enjoyed a well-earned break after Most, but the track action is ready to resume at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. With a title fight that is impossible to predict as just 22 points separated seven riders, the Pirelli French Round could be crucial in the fight for the 2023 title. Everything is still to play for in WorldSSP300 as the crazy Championship fight steps up a gear, with just three rounds left including the French Round. 100 points will be available after Magny-Cours and the 50 that France offers could prove crucial as the final few rounds play out.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT GOES ON: three rounds to go, seven riders separated by 22 points…
WorldSSP300 has traditionally been unpredictable in nature and that is being tested to the extreme in 2023. Seven riders are separated by less than a race win with Magny-Cours, and the French Round could prove pivotal. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) is leading the way despite only scoring one podium this year, but he’s only been outside the top five on three occasions. He’s just a single point ahead of Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) after the German hit a rich run of form, while Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) is on 113 points, just four behind Perez Gonzalez.
Behind them, three riders all sit on 99 points. Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) is fourth ahead of Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) and Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team), while Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) is seventh on 95 points. With Magny-Cours often hosting dramatic racing, will one of these seven riders be able to take a commanding lead heading into Aragon, or will it bunch up even further?
AIMING FOR GLORY: can Di Sora give the French fans a home win to celebrate?
Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) is the sole French rider on the grid and it’s a circuit he’s had mixed results at. His best is third in Race 1 in 2021 but he’s not really been able to string together a strong weekend: since WorldSSP300 switched to a two-race format, his results have been seventh and 24th in 2020, third and 12th in 2021 and sixth and 13th in 2022. He’ll be hoping to use his experience to put together a consistent weekend and, potentially, haul himself into title contention: he’s currently on 83 points and a strong home round could drag him into the fight.
GARCIA CHASING MORE WINS: can he make it three wins on three different bikes at Magny-Cours?
Marc Garcia continues to deputise at the China Racing Team in place of Junhao Zhan and, after strong performances at Imola and Most, will hope to keep his form going. Magny-Cours is a circuit he knows well and he’s one of three riders on the grid who have won there, but he’s the only one who has multiple wins at his name at the French venue. He won in 2017 with Yamaha and 2020 with Kawasaki. Three years on from his last win at Magny-Cours, could he add Kove to the list of winning manufacturers? Buis and Vannucci are the other two winners at Magny-Cours on the grid, with one each – given their position in the title fight, a second (or third) win for either of them at Magny-Cours could make the difference.
HOUSEKEEPING: changes to the line-ups…
Juan Pablo Uriostegui moves teams after splitting with Team#109 Kawasaki and he joins the Sublime Racing by MS Racing squad. That leaves a seat open with Team#109 and this will be filled by Astrid Madrigal, and she will race with the #11 in honour of 2018 Champion Ana Carrasco, who she considers a hero, while Unai Calatayud steps in for Gabriele Mastroluca at Arco Motor University Team; the squad he races for in the Spanish championship.
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Source: WorldSBK.com