@Pata @Honda #rider Kyle Smith took his CBR600RR to fifth place in today’s two-part World Supersport championship race at Magny-Cours in France. The race was won by fellow Honda CBR rider Patrick ‘PJ’ Jacobsen, with Kenan Sofuoglu taking this year’s title by finishing second.
After heavy rain yesterday, the 4.411km Magny-Cours circuit was still wet this morning but World Supersport warm-up was cancelled following earlier red flags. The race finally began on a damp track with Smith going on a wet front tyre and a dry rear.
However, the race was stopped on lap four following an oil spill, by which time Smith had slipped from fourth on the grid to eighth. This was where the 24-year-old British rider consequently lined up for the 11-lap restart.
A strong getaway saw Smith battling with the leaders but as the race progressed he was unable to maintain the pace and he eventually dropped to fifth place at the flag. He will aim to get back to podium ways in the final outing of the season at Losail in Qatar in two weeks.
Kyle Smith - 5th
In the first part of the race the track conditions were not very good – patchy, damp, dry, oil on the track in some parts. It was a bit like a motocross race. I enjoy track conditions like that and they usually favour me a lot but the bike felt twitchy under me and I really did not want to crash. I have crashed too much this season. The second part was a bit drier but still similar. Gino Rea is in front of me in the championship and he did not have the best of results today. I wanted to finish the race and hopefully get a top five in the championship, which is better than sixth. It is just a shame that Zanetti passed me at the end. I struggled at the beginning of the restarted race and came strong later but it was only an 11- lap race. I felt the rear was going to come round on me at any time in the early laps and I could not push into corner entries. I did not want to crash.
Pieter Breddels - technical co-ordinator
We had a two-part race today in the first part was still really wet. He restarted in eighth position and had a long fight with Zanetti for fourth but in the end he was fifth. It was OK but hopefully in Qatar he can finish the season off with a podium.
Weather
Overcast
Air
14°C
Track
19°C
Humidity
79%
Race Results
1 Patrick Jacobson 19m14.983s USA HONDA CORE Motorsport Thailand
2 Kenan Sofuoglu +3.910s TUR KAWASAKI Kawasaki Puccetti Racing
3 Lucas Mahias +8.950s FRA KAWASAKI Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres
4 Lorenzo Zanetti +22.021s ITA MV MV Agusta Reparto Corse
5 Kyle Smith +22.958s GBR HONDA Pata Honda World Supersport Team
6 Kevin Wahr +34.701s GER HONDA SMS Racing
7 Gino Rea +43.995s GBR HONDA CIA Landlords Insurance Honda
8 Martin Cardenas +47.585s COL HONDA CIA Landlords Insurance Honda
9 Christian Gamarino +50.960s ITA KAWASAKI Team GO Eleven
10 Marco Faccani +53.776s ITA KAWASAKI Kawasaki Puccetti Racing
Championship Standings
1 Kenan Sofuoglu 213 pts TUR KAWASAKI Kawasaki Puccetti Racing
2 Patrick Jacobson 185 pts USA HONDA CORE Motorsport Thailand
3 Jules Cluzel 155 pts FRA MV MV Agusta Reparto Corse
4 Lorenzo Zanetti 142 pts ITA MV MV Agusta Reparto Corse
5 Gino Rea 97 pts GBR HONDA CIA Landlords Insurance Honda
6 Kyle Smith 91 pts GBR HONDA Pata Honda World Supersport Team
7 Roberto Rolfo 79 pts ITA HONDA Team Lorini
8 Christian Gamarino 62 pts ITA KAWASAKI Team GO Eleven
9 Alex Baldolini 59 pts ITA MV Race Department ATK#25
10 Marco Faccani 59 pts ITA KAWASAKI Kawasaki Puccetti Racing
