WSB: French round’s stats and facts that matter

Here’s the stats that matter most ahead of this weekend’s French round of the World Superbike championship at Magny Cours.

For six years it’s been the Brits who have ruled qualifying – so finger’s crossed the lads can keep up the charge.

Here you go then, here’s the stats so that you can know more than the experts at hand. Good stuff.

25 – This year’s race weekend marks the 25th anniversary of the first visit to Magny-Cours back in 1991, when both races were dominated by Doug Polen.

14 – Out of the 28 races that have taken place here, Ducati recorded the fastest race lap in half of them (14).

13 – The most successful manufacturer at Magny-Cours up to now has been Ducati, with 13 wins. All the other makes combined have won 15 races.

7 – Seven different manufacturers have claimed pole here, with Aprilia joining the party last year.

6 – In the last six years, only British riders have started from pole in Magny-Cours: Cal Crutchlow (2010), Jonathan Rea (2011), Tom Sykes (2012-2014) and Leon Haslam (2015).

5 – The most successful rider to have ever raced here is Noriyuki Haga, with five wins from 2004 to 2009.

4 – Four is the record number of front row starts here and is shared by Brits Jonathan Rea and James Toseland.

4 – Kawasaki is the only manufacturer to have recorded four poles here (1991, 2012, 2013, 2014).

3 – There are three WorldSBK Magny-Cours winners in the current field: Tom Sykes (3), Sylvain Guintoli (2) and Jonathan Rea (2).

3 – Tom Sykes holds the record for most pole positions at Magny Cours: 3 to Troy Corser and James Toseland with 2.

2 – Only two riders among the current field have started from pole here: Kawasaki Racing Team duo Tom Sykes (2012, 2013, 2014) and Jonathan Rea (2011).

2 – There are only two riders who have managed three straight wins at Magny-Cours: Noriyuki Haga (a double in 2007 and Race 1 in 2008) and Tom Sykes (Race 2 in 2012 and a double in 2013). Jonathan Rea is in the position to challenge this record as he recorded the double last year.

1 – Despite recording 13 wins at this track, Ducati have started from pole only in the 2003 weekend, when James Toseland recorded his maiden WorldSBK pole.

1 – The only French winner at Magny-Cours has been Sylvain Guintoli (2012 Race 1; 2014 Race 1).

0.004 – Last year pole position was decided by only 0.004 seconds in favour of Leon Haslam from Jonathan Rea: that is the fourth smallest margin for a pole in WorldSBK history.