Light rain was falling at the start of Free Practice 3 for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship which limited running considerably at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. Very few riders set a lap time, with none of them representative, as Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) claimed top spot. He was just 0.127s clear of Petrucci as Day 2 of the Motul French Round got underway.

With rain greeting the field, initially in the final sector four before spreading over the circuit, there were no representative times in the 20-minute session. A handful of riders, including Friday pacesetter Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), ventured out as soon as the session started, although all immediately returned to the pits without setting a lap time. With around 12 minutes remaining, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) went on track, followed shortly after by Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).

Rinaldi set the first lap of the session with a 1’51.343s before improving by a huge four seconds to a 1’47.985s although drops of rain started to fall again in sector four, which the #21 unable to improve his time any further. A few minutes on and rain was reported in all sectors again, although Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) posted a 1’53.173s to move into second place before improving to a 1’48.112s.

In the final minute of FP3, several riders posted lap times that didn’t trouble Rinaldi’s time, with Petrucci securing second ahead of Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) was fourth with Alessandro Delbianco, Ivo Lopes (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) and Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) completing the field of seven riders who set a lap time.

The top six from WorldSBK FP3, full results here:

1. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) ‘147.985s

2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.127s

3. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +3.3692s

4. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) +3.726s

5. Alessandro Delbianco (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Tram) +8.566s

6. Ivo Lopes (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) +13.724s

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