With five times world champion and recent points leader Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) out of the race after a heavy crash that broke his hip in three places on Saturday, Niki Tuuli (Kallio Race System Yamaha) won the Magny Cours contest, ahead of official Yamaha rider Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team). This was the Finnish rider’s first win, and he became the sixth different rider to win a WorldSSP race in 2017. The final podium place went to American Patrick Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse).
A three rider Yamaha breakaway group early on was tailed by first Jules Cluzel (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) and then Jacobsen, but the real story was that behind, with Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) down in 11th place in the early laps after his own wrist and ankle injuries suffered in damp conditions on Saturday.
He set the best lap, to that point, on lap five but tangled with another rider on lap six, dropping back.
Pole man Tulli took the lead on lap eight, when Sheridan Morais suddenly lost two places.
Michael Canducci (3570 Puccetti Racing FMI Kawasaki) made up for the loss of his semi-team-mate Sofuoglu by running a clear sixth early on, catching Morais and Cluzel at pace.
But ride of the day, arguably, came from Mahias, fighting through the pain, recomposing himself and he worked his way up to a gritty fourth place and the championship lead.
Tuuli, WSS Race, French WSBK 2017
Cluzel finished fifth, and Lorenzo Zanetti (Team Factory Vemag MV Agusta) sixth.
Seventh was Canducci, and eighth championship challenger Sheridan Morais (Kallio Race System Yamaha) – Tuuli’s team-mate and early race leader – eighth.
Kyle Smith (GEMAR Balloons – Team Lorini Honda) was ninth and fellow Briton Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing Triumph) tenth.
In the points, Mahias has 154, Sofuoglu 145, Morais 122 and Cluzel 115, with two rounds remaining.
Caricasulo, Tuuli and Jacobsen, WSS Race, French WSBK 2017
By Gordon Ritchie