Magny-Cours, Superpole: Sensation for ZX Moto – Philipp Öttl last

Just like the free practice session that morning, the Superpole for the 2026 Supersport World Championship at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours took place in glorious summer weather. As the middle category has only one free practice session, which was also disrupted by a pile-up, the riders spent most of the 40-minute qualifying session fine-tuning their bikes.

Earlier in the day, Yamaha ace Can Öncü had set the fastest time of 1:39.997. The Ten Kate rider had the advantage of having tested on the French circuit. Lacking knowledge of the track, World Championship leader Albert Arenas (Yamaha) found it considerably harder going, finishing 23rd. The World Championship runner-up and local hero Valentin Debise (ZX Moto) finished 12th after a crash. Philipp Öttl (Ducati) put in an encouraging performance, setting the third-fastest time.

Early crash for Philipp Öttl (Ducati)

The Superpole got underway at 4 pm in sweltering 34-degree heat. Whilst Öncü set the first competitive lap time of 1:40.641 in the opening minutes, Öttl crashed in Turn 11 at the start of his first flying lap. The V2 Ducati wouldn’t start, so the Bavarian rode back to his team as a passenger on a scooter – losing valuable minutes in the process.

Meanwhile, at the front, lap times were approaching the 1:39 mark. Kawasaki rider Jeremy Alcoba clocked a time of 1:40.107 and led ahead of the Frenchmen Lucas Mahias (Yamaha) and Valentin Debise (ZX Moto). The latter had a minor crash shortly afterwards.

After ten minutes, Öncü had to retire his Yamaha due to a mechanical fault. Meanwhile, Arenas finally managed a lap time of 1:41.117 minutes, which fell within the 105 per cent qualifying threshold. Previously, the Spaniard’s fast laps had been disallowed due to yellow flags.

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Just as the session reached the halfway point, the GMT94 duo of Lucas Mahias and Roberto Garcia stormed into first and second place with times of 1:39.861 and 1:39.979 respectively. Whilst Alcoba held on to third place, his Kawasaki team-mate Dominique Aegerter languished in 22nd place, 1.6 seconds behind. Corentin Perolari put in a strong performance, provisionally placing his underpowered Honda in fourth. Philipp Öttl still had no lap time, as his Ducati team worked frantically to repair the bike.

With ten minutes remaining, the first riders took to the track on fresh tyres for the final push for times. There was no clear favourite for pole position, as the lap times of the top riders were too close together. Debise, who had temporarily dropped back to eighth place, was the first to go. The ZX-Moto rider missed out on a new fastest time by 0.133 seconds and finished third.

Numerous crashes and yellow flags in the closing stages

Crashes involving Leonardo Taccini, Alcoba, Hector Garzo, Jaume Masia and Ana Carrasco led to yellow flags in the closing stages, making it virtually impossible to improve lap times.

Debise and his team-mate Federico Caricasulo made the most of the brief window of opportunity in which a clear lap was possible to secure ZX Moto’s first one-two on the grid in the Supersport World Championship! The Frenchman clocked a time of 1:39.585, 0.059 seconds faster than Caricasulo. Mahias (Yamaha) completes the front row.

The second row of the grid is a mixed bag, featuring Garcia (Yamaha), Alcoba (Kawasaki) and Bayliss’s replacement, Jorge Navarro (Triumph). There was applause for Honda rider Corentin Perolari in seventh on the grid.

Championship leader Albert Arenas (Yamaha) managed to limit the damage by qualifying in tenth place. Disappointment, however, for Ten Kate and Can Öncü: only 13th on the grid.

Dominique Aegerter secured a solid 15th place on the grid. Philipp Öttl did not take to the track and, having set no lap time, will start last in the first race on Saturday.