Tricky conditions complicate Vierge and Lecuona’s first experience of Magny-Cours

Team HRC is now on track at the Nevers Magny-Cours Circuit in France, competing in the seventh round of the 2022 Superbike World Championship with factory riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge.

A continuous alternation of rain, sun, cool air and rain again, in typical Magny-Cours style, made the Spanish duo’s first outing at the French track into something of an obstacle course.

The morning’s opening practice session allowed for just a couple of laps in the dry before the day’s first downpour arrived. As a result, many riders spent a prolonged period in the garage before completing just a handful of laps to assess the conditions. Vierge and Lecuona made eleven and ten laps respectively to place eighth and eleventh at the end of this first phase, with neither rider wanting to take any unnecessary risks so early in the weekend.

Unfortunately, the second session got underway on a fully wet track with rain still falling. This of course prevented almost the entire field from making any improvement on their earlier references, Lecuona and Vierge included, although teams were able to prepare in case conditions happen to be similarly unsettled for one or more of the weekend’s races. Xavi closed day one in eighth position overall, thanks to a time of 1’41.254 set this morning, while team-mate Iker was not far behind, a best of 1’42.605 seeing him place eleventh in the combined standings.