Pata Honda World Superbike riders Leon Haslam and Michel Fabrizio left France empty-handed yeterday evening after a frustrating 13th-round event at Magny-Cours in France.

With rain affecting much of the practice sessions at the 4.411km circuit, dry track time had been limited over the weekend, but the rain was kept at bay for race one. Starting from 15th on the grid after crashing during yesterday’s Superpole, Haslam finished in eighth position, one place behind his team-mate.

Both riders were forced to retire from race two with technical problems as series leader Tom Sykes took his second win of the day.

Michel Fabrizio – 7th and DNF

There have been some positives this weekend and I was able to understand a little more the engine brake characteristics of the CBR. I was happy with a second row start after qualifying yesterday and the first race was not so bad, although I found it difficult to turn the bike when the grip levels dropped. Race two was disappointing but we don’t yet know what happened to make the bike stop.

Leon Haslam – 8th and DNF

Yes, we had a technical problem in race but I’m actually really, really happy that we’ve found an important aspect of the bike that has been wrong for many races. We changed that part for race two and it transformed the bike. It turned properly and did everything that it should have been doing for the last few rounds. It took a lot of inconsistency out of the bike as well. Starting from 15th wasn’t ideal but, even though our setting didn’t suit the big change we made, I was quickly able to get up to seventh and was catching the guys in front.

2012 World Superbike championship, round 13

Magny-Cours, France – 4.411km

Race 1 result (18 laps):

1 Tom Sykes (GBR) Kawasaki2 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Aprilia3 Eugene Laverty (IRL) Aprilia4 Davide Giugliano (ITA) Aprilia5 Marco Melandri (ITA) BMW6 Michele Pirro (ITA) Ducati7 Michel Fabrizio (ITA) Pata Honda8 Leon Haslam (GBR) Pata Honda

Race 2 result (21 laps):

1Tom Sykes (GBR) Kawasaki2 Eugene Laverty (IRL) Aprilia3 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Aprilia4 Marco Melandri (ITA) BMW5 Chaz Davies (GBR) BMW6 Vincent Philippe (FRA) Suzuki

Championship points after 13 of 14 rounds:

1 Sykes 411, 3 Laverty 374, 3 Guintoli 373, 4 Melandri 339, 5 Davies 270, 6 Giugliano 195, 7 Fabrizio 186, 9 Jonathan Rea (GBR) Pata Honda 176, 13 Haslam 91

Final round: Jerez, Spain – 18-20 October