In May, the FIM World Endurance Championship for motorcycles got underway with the running of the classic Bol D'Or 24 Hours at the Magny Cours track in France. The 76th edition of this race was run back in April. Here are the full highlights of the race. The FIM World Endurance Championship has existed since 1975.
There are two 24 hour races at the beginning and end of the season, with three eight hour events in between. Here are all the races.
Bol D'or 24 Hours Magny Cours, France
8 Hours of Qatar Doha, Qatar (Losail International Circuit)
8 Hours of Suzuka Suzuka Circuit: Suzuka, Japan
8 Hours of Oschersleben Motorpark Oschersleben: Oschersleben, Germany
24 Hours of Le Mans (moto) Bugatti Circuit: Le Mans, France
SERT (Suzuki Endurance Racing Team), has the most competitive team, with three major riders. They will have stiff competition from BMW Motorrad France and Team GMT 94. Suzuki has French rider Fabien Foret who was the 2002 FIM World Supersport champion. Now, Foret has spent over a decade (eleven years), away from motorcycle endurance competition.
This race is going to have a big grid of bikes, on a wet track, at least for the start. Vincent Philippe for SERT has pole. SRC Kawasaki is right up there on the grid, too, with their riders Olivier Four, Gregory Leblanc, and Julien Dacosta. This is a 55 bike grid. The Bol D'or has been run at Magny Cours for the last dozen years, since 2000. The battle for Endurance World Championship class honors will be fought by BMW, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and a number of teams with Yamaha motorcycles.
Teams in the Super Stock class will also contest their own race among the EWC contenders. The Le Mans start is used, where the riders (at the drop of the green flag), run across the track, get on their bikes, and set off in pursuit of victory. At the start, who gets the lead? SERT takes the early lead with their two rider team of Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle, and Fabien Foret. Meanwhile, crashing early, it's the #2 Suzuki GSX-R1000 for Team R2CL. Sharing the bike are Amaury Baratin, Thierry Capela, and Raphael Chausse.
SERT leads the race with Vincent Philippe. Actually, the #2 bike may have different riders. The graphic lists Thierry Capela sharing with David Dumain and Emmanuel Cheron, both of France. BMW Motorrad France pursues. Their bike #99 is ridden by Sebastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon, and Damian Cudlin. They made an early pit stop for a rider change. Assumingly, Gimbert was the starting rider, and Nigon would take over.
Bike #27 ditched it in one of the corners. This is the TRT 27 City Bike Suzuki GSXR shared by Olivier Depoorter, Camille Hedelin, Vincent Moussin, and Alexandre Prigent. Moussin is a Belgian rider. This spill at the same corner where R2CL had their issue. There's light rain out on course. Meanwhile, SRC Kawasaki seems to be having a good race with the team of Dacosta, Leblanc, and Four. Kawasaki has not won the Bol D'or at Magny Cours in three decades, going back to 1982, though they have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto.
SERT pits and Honda TT Legends are coming forward. Suzuki has the lead and the upper hand over everyone else, about an hour into the race. Meanwhile, bike #24 is in the pits. This is the Kawasaki ZX10R in Super Stock for 3D Endurance Moto Center and an all French riding squad including Valentin Debise, Benjamin Delegue, Fabrice Holub, and Patrick Blanchet. They lead Super Stock right now. Blanchet could be a reserve rider. Four riders are listed for some of the teams. But, maybe, the fourth one is just a reserve. Not sure. Bolliger Team Switzerland pits their Kawasaki.
Sharing riding chores on the #8 bike are Austrian Horst Saiger, Roman Stamm of Switzerland, and Jerome Tangre of France. Frenchman Frederic Chabboseau is also listed as a rider. Bolliger Team Switzerland is one of the best privately run teams in the series. Meanwhile, out on track, Monster Energy Yamaha YART is running well with their #7 Yamaha R1 shared by Igor Jerman, Steve Martin, and Gwen Giabbani, with backup rider, Brit, Steve Plater. YART did really well in this series back in 2009. Louit Moto 33 (the French Fireman team), is running well. On the rider's strength is a name that should be familiar to readers of this blog. World Superbike standout for Kawasaki, Loris Baz shares this bike with Jeremy Guarnoni, Nans Chevaux, and Lionel Richier.
Damian Cudlin for BMW Motorrad France has taken a spill. The track is still wet. Cudlin pushes the bike forlornly towards the pits. Yamaha GMT 94 is looking for a good result. The #94 bike is shared by David Checa, Kenny Foray, and Mathieu Lagrive. Checa is the brother of World Superbike champion and also, former 500cc Grand Prix champion, Carlos Checa. BMW frantically goes to work in the garage area.
After two hours, here are the positions in the Bol D'Or
1. EWC #1 SERT Delhalle/Foret Suzuki GSXR 1000
2. EWC #11 SRC Kawasaki Dacosta/Leblanc/Four Kawasaki ZX10R
3. EWC #94 Yamaha GMT 94 Checa/Foray/Lagrive Yamaha R1
4. EWC #77 Honda TT Legends Donald/McGuiness/Johnson/Andrews Honda CBR1000RR
5. SST #33 Louit Motor 33 Baz/Guarnoni/Chevaux/Richier Kawasaki ZX10R
6. EWC #7 Monster Energy
Yamaha YART Jerman/Martin/Giabbani/Plater Yamaha R1
7. SST #72 Junior Team LMS
Suzuki Guittet/Tangre/Enjolras/Camus Suzuki GSXR 1000
8. EWC #4 Yamalube Folch
Endurance Ribalta Bosch/Dos Santos/Tizon Ibanez/
Martinez Caballero Yamaha R1
9. EWC #14 Maco Racing Pridmore/Junod/Black Yamaha R1
10. EWC #8 Bolliger Team
Switzerland Saiger/Stamm/Tangre/Chabosseau Kawasaki ZX10R
SRC Kawasaki pits at the start of hour two. SERT takes back the lead of the race. They pitted and didn't lose a nine second lead. The #99 BMW bike for Motorrad France is out of it. Sebastien Gimbert rides slowly back to the garage. Pit stops are happening fast as SERT comes in. Cameron Donald, John McGuiness, and Simon Andrews for Honda TT Legends are running well. GMT 94 also pits. Bike #33 is still leading Super Stock for Louit Motor 33.
Junior Team LMS Suzuki is chasing them down and eventually, passes them on track. YART is also running well with the team of Igor Jerman, Steve Martin, Gwen Giabbani and Steve Plater. YART is Yamaha Austria Racing Team. DG Sport Herrock on their Superstock Yamaha pits. This is bike #9 for Didier van Keymeulen of Belgium, Australian Alex Cudlin, Gianluca Vizziello of Italy, and German, Raymond Schouten. One of the SERT bikes crashes coming into the pits.
It's their heavy hitter though. Whoops! This is indeed the bike of Foret, Delhalle, and Philippe. Vincent Philippe has injured his collarbone slightly. He may have to sit out the rest of the race. So, SERT now has two riders on their main bike. This opens the door for SRC Kawasaki and bike #11. Here are the four hour standings.
1. EWC #11 SRC Kawasaki Da Costa/Leblanc/Four Kawasaki ZX10R
2. EWC #94 Yamaha GMT 94 Checa/Foray/Lagrive Yamaha R1
3. EWC #7 Monster Energy
Yamaha YART Jerman/Martin/Giabbani/Plater Yamaha R1
4. EWC #77 Honda TT Legends Donald/McGuinness/Johnson/Andrews Honda CBR1000RR
5. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance
Racing Team Delhalle/Foret Suzuki GSXR1000
6. EWC #8 Bolliger Team
Switzerland Saiger/Stamm/Tangre/Chabosseau Kawasaki ZX10R
7. EWC #4 Yamalube Folch
Endurance Ribalta Bosch/Dos Santos/Tizon Ibanez/
Martinez Caballero Yamaha R1
8. SST #72 Junior Team LMS
Suzuki Guittet/Tangre/Enjolras/Camus Suzuki GSXR 1000
9. SST #110 Am Moto Racing
Competition Loiseau/Denis/Maitre/Napoleone Suzuki GSXR-1000
10. SST #33 Louit Moto 33 Baz/Guarnoni/Chevaux/Richier Kawasaki ZX10R
At 7;00 P.M. More rain comes. GMT 94/Yamaha Racing France has to pit for rain tires, unscheduled. Mathieu Lagrive is the rider on the bike right now. Vincent Philippe has the bike examined and repaired, heading back on track. SERT has to catch up to SRC Kawasaki. SRC Kawasaki pits for fuel, tires and a rider change, maintaining their lead in the race. Darkness will be upon the race soon.
Junior Team LMS Suzuki continues leading Super Stock on their GSXR 1000. Am Moto Racing Competition on their Suzuki is also hanging on. SERT pits again, trying to make up lost time with their two rider squad of Philippe and Foret. Yamaha GMT 94 also pits their bike as the track temperatures fall into the cool zone. As night falls, the teams will change to a softer tire compound to adjust to the conditions. By now, the Circuit de Nevers in Magny Cours is shrouded in darkness, and the rider all have their headlights on.
The crews will have to eat and sleep when they can, and the riders, fortunately, if they are off duty, can go catch 40 winks. Just after 9;30 P.M. (five and a half hours into the race), the safety car is deployed. There was a wreck between two Super Stock bikes battling for second in class. Those were the Suzuki and Kawasaki1 that showed up ninth and tenth in the overall earlier for Am Moto Racing Competion, as well as the Louit Moto 33 Kawasaki with Loris Baz on the riding team.
Here are the standings after seven of 24 hours.
1. EWC #11 SRC Kawasaki Da Costa/Leblanc/Four Kawasaki ZX10R
2. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance
Racing Team Delhalle/Foret Suzuki GSXR1000
3. EWC #94 Yamaha GMT 94 Checa/Foray/Lagrive Yamaha R1
4. EWC #7 Monster Energy
Yamaha YART Jerman/Martin/Giabanni/Plater Yamaha R1
5. EWC #77 Honda TT
Legends Donald/McGuinness/Johnson/Andrews Honda CBR1000RR
6. EWC #8 Bolliger
Team Switzerland Sager/Stamm/Tangre/Chabbosseau Kawasaki ZX10R
7. EWC #4 Yamalube Folch
Endurance Ribolta Bosch/Dos Santos/Tizon Ibanez/
Caballero Yamaha R1
8. SST #72 Junior Team LMS
Suzuki Guittet/Tangre/Enjolas/Cammus Suzuki GSX-R-1000
9. EWC #24 3D Endurance
Moto Center Debise/Delegue/Holub/Blanchet Kawasaki ZX10R
10. SST #13 Kraftwerk Filla/Fastre/Vallcaneras BMW S1000RR
It is a clear battle between Suzuki Endurance Racing Team and SRC Kawasaki as night falls. SRC Kawasaki pits their bike for routine service and a rider change. Foret and Delhalle are also pitting for SERT on bike #1. It's a damp track, and it's dark. Riders focus during the night, on just running consistent lap times. Most passes are completed on pit lane. Yamaha GMT 94 makes a stop. Ditto for Monster Energy Yamaha YART, and, also, Honda TT Legends is still in this fight.
Yamaha Folch Endurance and bike #41 also pit. They are a privateer effort from Spain. Kraftwek also pits their Super Stock BMW. The #9 DG Sport Yamaha in Super Stock is working it's way into contention again, too. Unfortunately, at this stage, Bolliger Kawasaki are out of the race. SRC Kawasaki, leading the race, are the sole remaining Kawasaki team in the race now.
SERT pits another time. Foret and Delhalle are running like clockwork through this event. SRC pits and Julien Da Costa takes over the bike. Likewise, Yamaha GMT 94 also stops. Ymaha YART also pits. These stops are mainly for tires and/or rider changes. The fuel mileage strategy seems to be working, meaning the tanks don't have to be topped up or refilled as often. Star Team 67 in Super Stock pits. This is the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 with a trio of French riders. Claude Lucas, Jonathan Harolt, and Cyrille de Laville. DG Sport also pits their #9 bike.
The mechanics try to rest wherever and whenever they can, whether that's sprawled on the garage floor, or, with your head resting on a tire.
Dawn has come to Magny Cours by now, and there are just five hours remaining in the race. After 19 hours, the top positions look like this (the top 10).
1. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance
Racing Team Delhalle/Foret Suzuki GSXR1000
2. EWC #11 SRC Kawasaki Da Costa/Leblanc/Four Kawasaki ZX10R
3. EWC #94 Yamaha GMT 94 Checa/Foray/Lagrive Yamaha R1
4. EWC #7 Monster Energy
Yamaha YART Jerman/Martin/Giabanni/Plater Yamaha R1
5. EWC #4 Yamalube Folch
Endurance Ribolta Bosch/Dos Santos/Tizon Ibanez/
Caballero Yamaha R1
6. EWC #77 Honda TT
Legends Donald/McGuinness/Johnson/Andrews Honda CBR1000RR
7. EWC #24 3D Endurance
Moto Center Debise/Delegue/Holub/Blanchet Kawasaki ZX10R
8. SST #13 Kraftwerk Filla/Fastre/Vallcaneras BMW S1000RR
9. SST #67 Star Team 67 Lucas/Harolt/De Laville Suzuki GSXR1000
10. SST #68 Atomic
Motorsport Muteau/Lalevee/Jond Suzuki GSXR1000
Up to tenth now is a new contender, second in Super Stock. It's the #68 Atomic Motorsport GSXR1000 shared by Gerald Muteau, Michael Lalevee, and Frederic Jond. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team now takes over the overall lead. They make a scheduled pit stop in the early morning hours as this race is headed towards the finish. SRC Kawasaki had a long pit stop, changing fluids out of the bike. Specifically, an oil change, as well as brake fluid.
Suzuki has the lead for the first time since the early evening hours and Kawasaki will now need to fight back in the closing stages. SRC Kawasaki has a flawless pit stop which gives them the race lead with just hours remaining. Team manager Gilles Stafler explains that the race has been a difficult one even though the team is now ahead. How would Suzuki hold out with Fabien Foret and Anthony Delhalle? Yamaha GMT 94 is running well, but, they can't be as competitive as the other bikes. Team manager Christophe Guyot claims that the bike is down on power, but the team has no idea why.
Big news! Honda TT Legends crashes! Cameron Donald lost the bike into a corner in a big way, landing in the gravel. He's OK. But the bike needs repairs. SERT pits again for another routine stop. They seem to have things pretty well under control in this race. OK. There's good news now. Honda TT Legends makes it bake on track, as a crewman restarts the Honda CBR1000 and Cameron Donald will resume in the race. Kraftwerk is still running well in Super Stock. Correction. Dylan Buisson is the fourth rider for the #13 team who has been listed as one of the participants.
The 3D Endurance Kawasaki is still motoring along well. After 21 hours, here are the standings, with three left.
1. EWC #11 SRC Kawasaki Da Costa/Leblanc/Four Kawasaki ZX10R
2. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance
Racing Team Delhalle/Foret Suzuki GSXR1000
3. EWC #94 Yamaha GMT 94 Checa/Foray/Lagrive Yamaha R1
4. EWC #7 Monster Energy
Yamaha YART Jerman/Martin/Giabanni/Plater Yamaha R1
5. EWC #4 Yamalube Folch
Endurance Ribolta Bosch/Dos Santos/Tizon Ibanez/
Caballero Yamaha R1
6. EWC #24 3D Endurance
Moto Center Debise/Delegue/Holub/Blanchet Kawasaki ZX10R
7. SST #13 Kraftwerk Filla/Fastre/Vallcaneras BMW S1000RR
8. SST #67 Star Team 67 Lucas/Harolt/De Laville Suzuki GSXR1000
9. EWC #77 Honda TT
Legends Donald/McGuinness/Johnson/Andrews Honda CBR1000RR
10. SST #68 Atomic
Motorsport Muteau/Lalevee/Jond Suzuki GSXR1000
Suzuki Endurance Racing Team makes another pit stop which should be close to being their last of the race. Durability and fatigue are the two factors. It's down to Kawasaki and Suzuki for the win. The #4 Yamahlube Folch Endurance bike makes a pit stop. It is also a battle of two more Yamaha teams for positions in the top half dozen between GMT 94 and YART. SERT has a late issue, running the bike off the road. Could it be a mechanical gremlin?
SRC Kawasaki makes a scheduled pit stop. The Bol D'or has become a sprint now, to see who will take the checkers first. Now, just one hour remains and the placings are pretty much identical to what they were before.
1. EWC #11 SRC Kawasaki Da Costa/Leblanc/Four Kawasaki ZX10R
2. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance
Racing Team Delhalle/Foret Suzuki GSXR1000
3. EWC #94 Yamaha GMT 94 Checa/Foray/Lagrive Yamaha R1
4. EWC #7 Monster Energy
Yamaha YART Jerman/Martin/Giabanni/Plater Yamaha R1
5. EWC #4 Yamalube Folch
Endurance Ribolta Bosch/Dos Santos/Tizon Ibanez/
Caballero Yamaha R1
6. EWC #24 3D Endurance
Moto Center Debise/Delegue/Holub/Blanchet Kawasaki ZX10R
7. SST #13 Kraftwerk Filla/Fastre/Vallcaneras BMW S1000RR
8. SST #67 Star Team 67 Lucas/Harolt/De Laville Suzuki GSXR1000
9. EWC #77 Honda TT
Legends Donald/McGuinness/Johnson/Andrews Honda CBR1000RR
10. SST #68 Atomic
Motorsport Muteau/Lalevee/Jond Suzuki GSXR1000
Kawasaki and Suzuki are on the same lap now. YART pits the #7 bike and they could very well get a podium place out of this effort, in third. Steve Martin will take the bike to the flag and team boss Mandy Kaine is optimistic. But, it looks like Kawasaki is going to take the win with just a few laps to go as the clock winds down. SRC Kawasaki is set to complete 781 laps of the Magny Cours track, which equals 2,141 miles.
SERT makes one last pit stop. YART passes Yamaha GMT 94. 3D Endurance Moto Center on another Kawasaki will win the Super Stock division. SRC Kawasaki makes their last stop. Kawasaki will get their first win in this race in three decades, going back to 1982. SRC Kawasaki does it!
Overall/EWC: #11 Da Costa/Leblanc/Four Kawasaki ZX10R
SST: #24 Debise/Delegue/Holub/Blanchet Kawasaki ZX10R
Kawasaki has turned Magny Cours, green! The next race in the World Endurance Championship is the 8 Hours of Qatar. Look for highlights of that event in the not too distant future.
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