French WSB: James Toseland takes Magny Cours World Superbike pole

Britain’s James Toseland has recovered from recent performances to take pole position for the French round of the World Superbike championship at Magny Cours and move closer to becoming the 2007 world champion.

Honda Ten Kate rider Toseland lapped over half a second under the previous best lap of the Magny Cours circuit. Joining James Toseland on the front row is Max Neukirchner, standing in for Yukio Kagayama in the Alstare Corona Suzuki squad and just 0.023 off pole. Yamaha Italia team-mates Troy Corser and Noriyuki Haga took third and fourth.

The closest championship contender to James Toseland, Max Biaggi, was sixth quickest, behind Lorenzo Lanzi, and heading Troy Bayliss, Regis Laconi, Fonsi Nieto and Ruben Xaus.