Reigning World Superbike Champion Jonathan Rea goes into this weekend’s Magny-Cours round with a 47-point cushion over team-mate Tom Sykes but the works Kawasaki man says it isn’t enough to be comfortable.

Rea took a decisive win in the second race at Lausitzring after suffering two non-finishes in a row which had seen his lead cut to one race win but he bounced back and opened the gap again when Sykes crashed during torrential rain in Germany and now says he needs big points as the season winds down.

“I am looking forward to Magny Cours because I have had a good history there and I enjoy riding it. It is always pretty full of French fans and, of course, it is that crucial time of the season now. We have a points advantage but not enough to be comfortable with, so we still have to go out and make big points in France,” said Rea.

“Of course, at this stage of the year I am thinking about the gap but I do not want to let it affect my riding. We can’t really manage a 47-point lead because we can see how easy it is to lose a bunch of points. But going into the weekend in France I am happy and confident on the bike and we have a lot of data for the track. We know what works there and we will start with a good base and work step-by-step through the weekend.”