With temperatures colder than experienced at any event of the year so far, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) came out on top at the end of this morning’s FP1 at the 4.411km Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours lapping in a time of 1.38.755s, well outside the circuit best but still impressive given the heat in the track.

Newly crowned champion Rea left it until the final 20 minutes to move into the top 3, eventually ending FP1 in 2nd overall just behind his team mate and only 0.017s away from the top spot.

Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) had an encouraging start to the weekend in 3rd overall, the British rider looking extremely fast, especially through the fast flowing sector 1 and closing to within 0.046s of his Kawasaki rival.

Outgoing champ Sylvain Guintoli powered his Pata Honda to 5th after a number of consecutively quick laps in the first half of the session, just behind Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) who was 4th and ahead of Alex Lowes who put his Voltcom Crescent Suzuki in 6th.

Niccolo Canepa (Althea Racing), Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia), Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing) completed the top ten.

WorldSBK rookie Jordi Torres is riding at the Magny-Cours track for the first time, the Spaniard using the session to learn his way around, he eventually finished FP1 in 13th overall.

French rider Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), who hasn’t been to Magny-Cours for 16 years ended the opening 45 minutes in 15th overall while compatriot Christophe Ponsson (Team Pedercini) failed to complete a lap after problems kept him in the garage throughout.

FP2 will take place at 1500 local time. Follow the action as it happens on Twitter: @WorldSBK