Three points separate points leader Noriyuki Haga and Ben Spies going into the penultimate World Superbike round in France

Ron Lieback
AllAboutBikes.com Content Editor

The 2009 World Superbike season is dwindling down with only two rounds (four races) remaining. The penultimate race at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in France this weekend will help decide the championship outcome, with a tight battle for the title between Ben Spies and Noriyuki Haga.

The track itself is in central France, about 300 kilometers from Paris. The track will keep the riders quite a workout with its 4.41 Km terrain with many fast sections combined with slow, hair-pin turns.

Three points separate points-leader Nitro Nori from Ben Spies heading into France. Three-time AMA Superbike Champion Spies couldn’t get connected with his bike last week at Imola, but his 4-5 finishes secured enough points to keep the ’09 title in sight. Spies had some electrical complications at Imola, responding: “I gave it 100% and ran off twice, and we are still three points behind. It will be a good last four races. After the end of race one I am surprised we only have a three-point deficit. I was a bit afraid because there were quite a few people who had the pace I did. I did not have outstanding pace at all, but I rode hard.”

Spies must also ride hard this weekend, considering Haga had three podium finishes at Magny-Cours, finishing behind Troy Bayliss last year. But the Xerox Ducati rider also has to keep a clear visor for someone, his teammate Michel Fabrizio. The Italian had the pole and took race 2 after a good battle with Haga in front of 67,000 fans at Imola. Fabrizio is in third place in the championship, currently 61 points behind Haga.

In fourth place is Jonathan Rea on the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda. Last week he ran off course at Imola, brake fade being the culprit. Rea said “I was pretty disappointed with the results last weekend at Imola, which didn’t reflect all the hard work that the team has done or the pace that we showed during practice and qualifying. I’ll be looking for something better this weekend, for sure.” 

The Northern Ireland rider has 263 points, with Max Biaggi a close six points behind. Biaggi’s Aprilia RSV4 has been strong all season, including one win, and Biaggi finished fourth and sixth last year at Magny-Cours. 

Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus’ team continues the journey for a perfect setup on the BMW S1000RR. The bike qualified well Imola, finishing in 13th in the race two. Xaus is still recovering from previous injuries, but says he has much work to do: “I am confident that the team have found out what caused the brake problems so that I will be able to get to grips with the Magny-Cours circuit right from the start of practice on Friday. Our team has never been to Magny-Cours before, so we will have to put in a lot of hard work on day one and try and find a good bike set-up as soon as we can.” 

In the manufacturers’ ranking, Ducati has the most wins with nine, followed by Yamaha with three and Honda two.

Points (after 12 of 14 rounds): 1. Haga 391; 2. Spies 388; 3. Fabrizio 330; 4. Rea 263; 5. Biaggi 257; 6. Haslam 219; 7. Checa 183; 8. Sykes 176; 9. Smrz 155; 10. Byrne 149. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 489; 2. Yamaha 431; 3. Honda 368; 4. Aprilia 267; 5. Suzuki 148; 6. BMW 113; 7. Kawasaki 63

A Look Back 

from a World Superbike Press Release

2008 - As the World Championship arrived at Magny-Cours it seemed it was all over as Bayliss needed only four points to clinch his third title and race 1 had very little to say. Troy started well and took the lead, but Haga on the second lap overtook him and pulled away for a solitary win. Bayliss behind him managed to hold a small advantage over his pursuers until the final laps, when Nieto and Fabrizio reached him. 

Fabrizio took himself out sliding into the gravel trap and Troy a couple of turns later looked over his shoulder and when he noticed that behind him and Nieto there was a big gap, let the Spaniard through and secured a third place which gave him the title. Biaggi finished fourth, fifth was Neukirchner and only sixth Corser, the only one that could keep the Championship challenge open. Behind him Carlos Checa, who was third on the first laps and then fell behind as his soft tyres faded away. 

Race 2 followed a similar pattern as at the start Haga took the lead on the first lap after a short sprint ahead by Bayliss. The Australian however was not so easy-going as in race 1 and tried to keep up with Haga. The duo pulled away from the rest of the field and after a handful of laps, as a few drops of rain appeared on the track, Bayliss passed Haga and went into the lead. Soon afterwards Corser reached Haga and passed him for second on the ninth lap. 

Haga was having none of it and re-passed his team-mate on the following lap and took the lead one lap later pulling away slightly from Bayliss and Corser, with Checa overlooking a few meters behind. Bayliss then speeded up and set after Haga, while Corser dropped back. The Ducati rider caught Haga six laps to the end and hit the front four laps later, sealing the win with a very quick fast lap which didn't allow Haga to reply.