Augusto Fernandez won today’s race in the penultimate round of the European Junior Cup powered by Honda Racing at Magny-Cours in France to set up a thrilling final round in two weeks.

In a day of spectacular crashes that affected virtually all the main championship protagonists, the Spanish rider won by just 0.179s from Hungarian Peter Sebastyen, with another Spanish rider Javier Orrelan taking the final podium slot.

The race was run in two parts, either side of today’s second World Superbike Championship race, with the first part red-flagged after five laps following a crash involving series leader Jake Lewis and local rider Guillaume Raymond, who was third in the points table going into today’s race.

Second-placed Robin Anne had crashed earlier in the first part of today’s encounter and none of these three championship contenders was able to take part in the re-start – Raymond having sustained a fractured collarbone in the crash.

“I am very happy for this result,” said Fernandez afterwards. “It’s my first victory and it was a great fight. The next race is in Jerez so I will do my best to win again in front of the local fans.”

Four Honda CBR500R riders scored their first points of the championship today, and Brazilian rider Sabrina Pauita celebrated her 19th birthday with her first top ten finish of the season, taking sixth place at the flag.

Today’s result leaves Lewis four points ahead of Anne, with today’s winner Fernandez moving up into third place, just a single point further back. However, the European Junior Cup series will head to Jerez in Spain in two weeks time with no fewer than nine riders holding at least a mathematical chance of winning the inaugural title and a possible ride in next year’s European Superstock 600 championship.