Leon Camier is tentatively targeting his first World Superbike Championship victory after qualifying on the front row of the grid at Magny-Cours.

Two years after making his debut with Aprilia at the French circuit, Camier has put himself in a solid position to challenge for glory after easing through the two knockout phases before recording the fourth best time in the final shootout.

Qualifying has been something of a bugbear for Camier this year as he struggles to get the most from the RSV-4 over a single lap, but on the occasions he has qualified on the front row – at Motorland Aragon and Silverstone – he has shown competitive race pace.

With this in mind, Camier is keen to challenge at the sharp end in France with a view to getting that first WSBK win under his belt.

“We’ve taken some good steps forward, partially resolving the problems which kept us from being fast in the sessions yesterday,” he said. “If we look at our race pace we can definitely make a play for it, even with the times as incredibly close as they are.

“Starting from the front row is a step forward compared to our usual position: I was able to use the soft tyres well to get into the top eight and I took fourth place in the end with the race tyre. I still need something more to be competitive with the best, but all told I’m quite confident for tomorrow.”