FSBK Le Mans: Techer ahead of Foray and Mike di Meglio / circuit

Before the World Endurance Championship gets underway at Le Mans, it’s the turn of the drivers of the French Superbike Championship on the first weekend in April. Alan Techer leads after both races.

On Sunday April 7, the riders of the French Superbike Championship took to the Circuit Bugatti in Le Mans for the first race of the 2024 season. The Automobile Club de l’Ouest, under the sponsorship of the Fédération Française de Motocyclisme, welcomed more than 200 riders in front of 10,000 fans who came to watch the festival. Because of the unsettled spring weather, additional excitement was called for.

Race 1: Foray ahead of de Meglio – the revenge has begun

After the start, the #5 Honda of the official Honda CBO team appeared in front and immediately took the lead of the race. Alan Techer (Honda CBO Racing Team France – Michelin) led ahead of Grégory Leblanc (Ducati TWR – Pirelli) and Mike di Meglio (Honda CBO Racing Team France – Michelin). Mathieu Gines (Yamaha 41 Performance – Michelin) took fourth ahead of pole-sitter Kenny Foray (BMW Tecmas – Michelin), who started slowly.

The #5 and #36 Hondas at the front of the field could not win against the stubborn Grégory Leblanc. This battle enabled Foray and Jérémy Guarnoni (Yamaha MDS – Dunlop), who started 15th, to return to the top three. Gines dropped back significantly after a crash on lap seven and struggled to 21st place.

Round after round, the current French champion Foray took his opponents and finally took command in the 10th round. He then tried to break away, but di Meglio refused to be shaken. Alan Techer, who finished third, fell behind the two leaders, along with Leblanc, who finished fourth. On lap 12, Guarnoni crashed, dropping Loïc Arbel (BMW Tecmas – Michelin) to fifth place, where he fended off the attack of Hugo Clere (Honda Tati Team – Pirelli).

After a wild final lap it was Kenny Foray who won by 0.142 seconds over Mike DI Meglio. A rematch between the two drivers after the 203 season also resumed in 2024. Despite being four seconds behind his teammate, Techer took the points for third place and started his championship ahead of Leblanc, who finished 4th.

The top 5 was completed by the amazing tests of Challenger Loïc Arbel, who celebrated his first success in the junior class in his first race. As in qualifying, Chris Leesch (Honda Chromeburner – Michelin) and Martin Renaudin (Honda Moto&GP Addict – Michelin) finished the race in 6th and 7th place. eighth place.

Race 2: Master at the same level as Ender 2023

It was another difficult start for pole vaulter Kenny Foray, who had to drop his main rivals in the championship in the first round. At the front, Mathieu Gines and his #41 tried to stop the efforts of last year’s runner-up Mike di Meglio, who was determined to get his first victory of 2024. At the same second another Honda follows, that of Alan Techer, who takes the place of three. Youngster Martin Renaudin found himself in fourth place, but was quickly pushed up to fifth by Kenny Foray.

Di Meglio took the lead after five laps and tried to pull away from second placed Gines. Techer rode solo in third place and watched the duel in front of him. He was safe from the feared Kenny Foray and Renaudin. These top five set themselves apart from the rest of the field. The first follower was Guillaume Pot (Yamaha PMR – Pirelli) in 6th place ahead of Arbel.

With six laps to go, Techer took the lead, benefiting from di Meglio over Gines. Kenny Foray in fourth was still battling local hero Martin Renaudin in fifth, who was determined to score as many points as possible.

Four laps before the end the red flag flew; Guillaume Pot had suffered an engine failure. The race did not continue because more than 75% of the distance had been completed.

On the podium was Alan Techer, who took home 25 points. Another Honda CBO rider, Mike di Meglio, finished second and three-time French championship winner Mathieu Gines finished third. Foray was unable to get back up to speed and settled for fourth, ahead of Renaudin in fifth.