Magny Cours WSB: Melandri defiant in victory

Marco Melandri defied team orders to take victory in the second race at Magny Cours and his 100th WSB race.

It was again Jonathan Rea who took the lead and this time out managed to stay at the front ahead of Sylvain Guintoli and Melandri until he highsided on lap 11.

A lap later Sylvain Guintoli ran wide, handing the lead to Melandri who led to the finish despite several pit boards instructing him to drop back a place.

Tom Sykes finished off the podium in fourth and now leads the championship by just 12 points heading into the final round at Qatar.

Leon Haslam secured his first WSB podium since Misano in 2012 with third place onboard the Pata Honda after a long and tense battle with Sykes.

Davide Giugliano again crashed and on this occasion was unable to rejoin.

A disappointing weekend for the Voltcom Crescent Suzuki team ended with both riders crashing out of the second race.

1. Marco Melandri ITA Aprilia Racing RSV4 19 laps
2. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Aprilia Racing RSV4 +2.689s
3. Leon Haslam GBR PATA Honda CBR1000RR +16.450s
4. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +20.759s
5. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA 3C Ducati 1199 Panigale R +46.689s
6. Max Neukirchner GER 3C Ducati 1199 Panigale R +58.490s
7. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +1m 03.100s
8. Claudio Corti ITA MV Agusta RC F4RR +1m 24.699s
9. Chaz Davies GBR Ducati SBK 1199 Panigale R +1m 27.899s
10. Niccolo Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199 Panigale R +1m 51.706s (E)
11. Fabien Foret FRA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1 lap (E)
12. Gabor Rizmayer HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR +2 laps (E)
13. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR +2 laps (E)