Ducati wins French Supersport Championship

French Supersport win for Muscat and Ducati

David Muscat's win in the French Supersport championship on July 25th on a Ducati 749R was Ducati's first title success in an intense year of activity for the Italian manufacturer. The experienced Muscat took the title after a hard-fought series of seven races against his closest rival, French youngster Yoann Tiberio on a Yamaha, and the fight went right down to the final round at Dijon-Prenois.

The Ducati Assurance Moto Service Team 749R had the support of Ducati France, which believed in a strong presence of Ducati's latest Supersport flagship machine in a category that appeals to the buying public.

Muscat's charge to the top began in earnest at Nogaro's round 3 when he held off the challenge of Tiberio to take his first win of the year. Before that race, an inauspicious sixth place at the Le Mans opener had been followed by second place at Magny-Cours, but Muscat's win immediately projected him to second in the standings behind his Yamaha rival.

Another win followed at Carole, while two more second places at Le Vigeant and Ledenon, where Muscat finished right on Tiberio's exhausts, set the championship up for its final showdown at Dijon-Prenois at the end of July.

A strategic analysis of the points standings by Ducati Corse directors in Bologna made it clear that Muscat needed some extra support to be sure of taking the title. If he were to win and Tiberio to finish second, the Yamaha rider would be crowned champion so a second 749R was entered for long-time Ducati rider Fred Protat.

Protat duly did the job in an exciting final round, in which the race win went to Muscat after Tiberio retired with technical problems.

Thanks to the support of technical partner 'L'Ecole de la Performance' and tyre supplier Michelin, the Ducati Assurance Moto Service Team was able to clinch a fifth title for Ducati, and allowed Muscat to take his fourth win in the Supersport category since 2000.