Italiano
P 4 IN RACE 2, SIXTH POSITION IN THE STANDINGS GRABBED!
Seventh position in the morning’s Superpole Race—losing significant time in the opening laps- then a sensational Race 2 performance, charging back at a stunning pace to secure fourth place! It has been the best result since Balaton Park, marking a return to strong form and earning 26 championship points that put him in sixth actual place.
During the ten-minute warm-up session, the technicians opted to use a tyre with about ten laps on it; the Go Eleven rider clocked a low 1:36 lap time and reported a good feeling with the bike following a minor adjustment at the front.
Warm Up:
P 1 N. Bulega 1.35.506
P 2 I. Lecuona + 0.154
P 3 S. Lowes + 0.233
…
P 7 L. Baldassarri + 0.791
For the Superpole Race, the choice falls on the rear qualifying tyre; the grid is split, but in the end there isn’t a huge difference between the “Q” tyre and the race-spec SCX. Balda gets a good start but finds himself “sandwiched” in the first corner and has to ease off the throttle slightly, leaving him on the defensive at the hairpin. He drops six places, going back to thirteenth. Then, with great determination, he begins his fightback over just ten laps: he overtakes Locatelli, then Bautista; the following lap he takes Bassani, then Dixon the lap after that, and repays Gardner for an earlier move by overtaking him at Turn 13. In the final two laps, he hunts down Vierge and attacks him at the very end; thanks to a gift from Sam Lowes—who crashed on the last lap—he secures seventh place, gaining a grid position. The opening lap needs work, but he showed tremendous grit and competitive aggression in his comeback!
Superpole Race:
P 1 N. Bulega 15’52.648
P 2 I. Lecuona + 2.073
P 3 Y. Montella + 5.400
…
P 7 L. Baldassarri + 12.775
In Race 2, Lorenzo defended his position better at the start, but during the opening lap, contact with the “usual” Xavi Vierge knocked off his left wing and a significant part of the fairing. Despite some issues with the anti-wheelie system over hill and in left-hand corners, the #34 rider showed blistering pace. He first engaged in a fantastic battle with Bridewell, then recovered a 3 second gap to the Lowes-Surra duo. He sparked a fierce battle with the Italian rider, ultimately snatching the position at one of Magny-Cours’ fastest and most dangerous spots—the downhill section of the final sector. His pace was excellent, allowing him to open up a gap and manage the closing laps all the way to the checkered flag. He crossed the line in fourth place, capping off a superb weekend upon his return to the track!
Race 2 – Red flagged:
P 1 N. Bulega 31’31.396
P 2 I. Lecuona + 5.458
P 3 Y. Montella + 1 sector
P 4 L. Baldassarri + 1 sector
Getting back on track and being competitive right away is never easy—especially at Magny-Cours, a circuit rarely used for testing and where there is limited data available. Restarting the campaign with one of the season’s best weekends provides a significant morale boost ahead of the home round at Cremona, the next stop on the WorldSBK calendar. In preparation for Round 10, important tests are scheduled to take place at the Lombardy circuit next week!
Lorenzo Baldassarri (Rider):
“Finally, a great weekend where we brought home solid results and points, consistently staying close to the podium. We’re missing that little something extra to actually reach it—especially at the start of the race—but I needed to get back to being fast and competitive. Today wasn’t easy, either: in the Superpole Race, I messed up the first laps and had to overtake half the grid, and then in Race 2, I had to ride with a huge hole in the fairing. Still, I was fast, I made up ground, and I had fun. Fourth is a good result; I would have liked to stay closer to third, but I got the best out of the situation. Now we’re heading to Cremona for a test where I want to get a feel for the track—I haven’t raced there much—and also try out some things on the bike regarding riding style and set-up.”
Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager):
“After a month-and-a-half break, getting back in the bike and being fast right from the start is never a given. Balda managed it, delivering one of his best weekends of the season and jumping to sixth place in the world standings. Both yesterday and this morning, I felt a bit frustrated because I knew we could be right up there near the podium but hadn’t been able to prove it; in Race 2, however, he gave it his all and staged a great comeback. Now I want to focus on closing the gap to the podium and getting back into the fight before the season ends, but we’re on the right track!”
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