80th Bol d’Or 24-Hours

2016-2017 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC)

Paul Ricard Circuit

Le Castellet, France

September 16, 2016

Final Qualifying Results (listed according to average of riders’ best lap times):

1. GMT94 Yamaha (David Checa 1:59.442/Niccolo Canepa 1:58.844/Lucas Mahias 1:58.255), Yam YZF-R1, Superbike, 1:58.847

2. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (Vincent Philippe 1:59.387/Anthony Delhalle 1:58.512/Etienne Masson 1:59.812), Suz GSX-R1000, Superbike, 1:59.237

3. SRC Kawasaki (Gregory Leblanc 1:59.263/Randy De Puniet 1:59.782/Fabien Foret 1:58.978), Kaw ZX-10R, Superbike, 1:59.341

4. F.C.C. TSR Honda (Shinichi Ito 1:59.812/Damian Cudlin 2:00.508/Kazuma Watanabe 1:59.259), Hon CBR1000RR, Superbike, 1:59.859

5. Honda Endurance Racing (Julien Da Costa 1:59.591/Sebastien Gimbert 2:00.453/Freddy Foray 2:00.247), Hon CBR1000RR SP, Superbike, 2:00.097

6. YART Yamaha (Broc Parkes 1:58.416/Josh Hayes 2:02.250/Sheridan Morais 2:00.263), Yam YZF-R1, Superbike, 2:00.243

7. TRICK STAR Racing (Erwan Nigon 1:59.363/Osamu Deguichi 2:00.336/Hitoyasu Izutsu 2:02.021), Kaw ZX-10R, Superbike, 2:00.573

8. Penz13.com – BMW Motorrad Team (Kenny Foray 1:58.732/Lukas Pesek 2:01.431/Matthieau Lussiana 2:01.496), BMW S1000RR, Superbike, 2:00.703

9. Team Louit Moto 33 Traqueur (Emeric Jonchiere 2:00.811/Anthony Loiseau 2:01.957/Morgan Berchet 2:00.630), Kaw ZX-10R, Superstock 2:01.132

10. Team April Moto Motors Events (Gregg Black 2:00.288/Mathieu Lagrive 2:00.436/Gregory Fastre 2:02.788), Suz GSX-R1000, Superbike, 2:01.170

20. Team Rapid Transit (Max Neuchirchner 2:00.847/Ivan Silva no time recorded/Igor Jerman 2:04.012), Yam YZF-R1, Superbike, 2:02.429

39. Girls Racing Team (Melissa Paris 2:05.560/Jolanda Van Westrenen 2:05.599/Carole Goncalves 2:06.746), Yam YZF-R1, Superstock, 2:05.968

More, from a press release issued by Eurosport Events:

GMT94 YAMAHA CLAIMS POLE

Rainy weather kept yesterday’s positions on the Bol d’Or starting grid unchanged. GMT94 Yamaha, Suzuki Endurance Racing Team and SRC Kawasaki will line up next to each other for the race start at 3pm on the Paul Ricard circuit.

A series of showers during the night and lingering rain this morning in Castellet made it impossible, with a few exceptions, to improve on yesterday’s qualifying times on a dry track.

Boosted by its two wins during the 2016 season, GMT94 Yamaha is looking like the team to beat as the new FIM EWC 2016/2017 season gets underway, with riders David Checa, Niccolò Canepa and Lucas Mahias (who posted yesterday’s fastest lap). In 2nd place on the grid, Suzuki Endurance Racing Team is aiming to hold on to its position as reigning champion with riders Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle and Etienne Masson. Meanwhile, 3rd-placed Team SRC Kawasaki will try to keep up its winning momentum after four consecutive victories at the Bol d’Or, with this year’s riders Gregory Leblanc, Fabien Foret and high-profile new recruit Randy de Puniet.

But there are other contenders bent on winning in the Top 8: F.C.C. TSR Honda, Honda Endurance Racing, YART Yamaha Official EWC Team, Trick Star Racing and Penz13.com BMW Motorrad Team (which might have to do without Lucas Pesek, who suffered a foot injury).

Team Louit Moto 33 Traqueur is leading the Superstock class in 9th place, ahead of Team April Moto Motors Events (capable of leading the race with Gregg Black, Matthieu Lagrive and Grégory Fastré), and Maco Racing Team. A cluster of Superstock teams is 12th to 15th on the starting grid: Junior Team Le Mans Sud Suzuki, Yamaha Viltaïs Experiences, Team 3Art Yam’Avenue and Tati Team Beaujolais Racing.

The 80th Bol d’Or also features an all-feminine team, who will start 39th of the 55 competing squads. The team is composed of American rider Melissa Paris, Dutch rider Jolanda Van Westrenen and Frenchwomen Muriel Simorre and Carole Goncalves.

The race will be flagged off at 3pm tomorrow on the Paul Ricard circuit, where dry conditions are forecast.

More, from a press release issued by Honda Endurance Racing:

Honda Endurance Racing in the mix at the Bol d’Or

Bol d’Or

The Circuit Paul Ricard, France

The Honda Endurance Racing team will start tomorrow’s 80th edition of the Bol d’Or from fifth place after being in the mix throughout both qualifying sessions. With 24 hours of racing ahead, team spirits are high as this weekend marks the start of the 2017 FIM Endurance World Championship.

Yesterday and today’s final qualifying sessions saw mixed weather conditions at the Paul Ricard Circuit in Le Castellet, France, with limited track time. However, Honda’s endurance specialists Freddy Foray, Julien Da Costa and Sébastien Gimbert never left the top-ten aboard the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP.

Showing strong pace throughout and full of confidence, the team placed fifth overall, which is where they start tomorrow’s Bol d’Or race from. The team’s reserve rider Steve Mercer has impressed with his performance aboard the Fireblade. Although learning a new track Mercer has shown good pace and finished seventh during his qualifying session.

The Bol d’Or starts tomorrow, Saturday 17 September, at 15.00hrs local time (GMT+1) and will finish at 15.00hrs on Sunday 18 September. For all the real-time information on the team throughout the 24 hours, follow @HondaRacingCBR on Twitter.

Freddy Foray 111

So fifth for us tomorrow starting the race is good and we are all happy with this, the start will be interesting! The feeling with the CBR is good and everything is working well, the team has worked hard since Oschersleben and everything feels good. Now it’s down to us to perform well over the 24 hours, it’s a long race and anything can happen so we have to wait and see. I know that we are capable to win the race, so we now just have to be quiet, race and let it come to us, with endurance you cannot make any assumptions but I know with the package we have, we can be strong.

Julien Da Costa 111

We have a big improvement with the front of the Fireblade since Germany, everyone has been working hard to build this package for us and the feeling is good. So this is good news and we are up with the front group and can definitely challenge in the race. However, tomorrow is another thing and it’s 24 hours, so we have to work hard, concentrate on our stints and at the end see what happens. But we are all feeling confident and can’t wait to get going tomorrow.

Sébastien Gimbert 111

Fifth place for tomorrow’s race is good and I’m happy with that, I know that between us we can push to the front and run with the front group. Unfortunately we haven’t had a lot of fast track time with the weather conditions, but the weekend is looking clearer and we do have 24 hours on track, so I’m sure we can do what is needed. Everything seems to be working well so far and we are all confident ahead of the race tomorrow, but as we know this is endurance and anything can happen. So we need to put in the work and push hard to make sure we win the Bol d’Or, or at least are on the podium.

Neil Tuxworth

Team Manager

Qualifying has been a bit difficult for everyone here at the Bol d’Or with the weather conditions, which is unusual for this part of the world and it has been dry for the past three months, but we have experienced wet sessions for most of the time we have been on track. We’ve only really had one qualifying session, which went well for the team and we have qualified fifth overall. In endurance qualifying positions aren’t as critical as in other race series, but we’re close to the front so it will help with our start. I’m happy with the team and how the riders have been going, they have been on pace in all sessions and battling with the top teams, we are certainly capable of winning this race providing we go through the 24 hours without any major problems.

More, from a press release issued by Penz13.com BMW Motorrad Team:

Le Castellet, France. Heavy rain storms appeared at the Paul Ricard Circuit at Le Castellet, South-France, last night so there was nothing to gain for the Penz13.com BMW Motorrad Team in today’s second Qualifying session. The team decided collectively to stay in the pits as forecasts for the race are promising best conditions and a time improval was not possible for today. None of the other teams was able to improve as well.

That’s why the times set by Kenny Foray (FRA), Lukas Pesek (CZE) and Matthieu Lussiana (FRA) remained unchanged and the race will be started from P8 tomorrow, Saturday, 17th September at 15:00 o’clock with the finish 24 hours later.

Pesek, after his yesterday’s qualifying spill, went to see the doctor again this morning and it was confirmed that nothing is broken in his foot. The Czech rider will try to ride the Warmup tomorrow and make full profit from today’s rest day.

In case Pesek should find it impossible to ride with his pain for 24 hours, Spanish rider Pedro Vallcaneras would be on site to jump in for the team’s assault for the Bol d’Or.

The 80th Bol d’Or is the opening round of the new format 2016/2017 FIM Endurance World Championship season.

Live Timing: https://www.fimewc.com/live+timing/

Live-Stream: http://www.eurosportplayer.com

Kenny Foray

Rider

“It’s a shame we have lost our qualifying session due to rain today, but there was absolutely no argument to head out on track as in those conditions a improvement of the setting of our BMW S 1000 RR was not possible. But I am confident after the days and track time we had here this past week. Everything is set for the race and we all will give our maximum.”

Lukas Pesek

Rider

“The good news today is, that there is nothing broken, even though it is very painful for me and I can’t load the foot completely. From that point of view it is good from my side, that we didn’t have to ride today. I am relaxing now fully and then I’ll try to ride in Warmup tomorrow and consider after if it’s possible to ride – especially over the full 24 hours distance.”

Matthieu Lussiana

Rider

“A shame! I really wanted to up the pace in today’s Q2, but it is as it is. There is not much to say about today, though. Yesterday’s night practice went well, I was able to concentrate myself on my riding and changing my style to fit to our team’s strategy. I am so looking forward to the Bol tomorrow!”

Rico Penzkofer

Team Principal

“Unfortunately we had a lot of rain last night and also considering the crash of Lukas in his Qualifying session yesterday we as a team took the decision to not head out in those tricky conditions today and to avoid any further risks. I think we are well prepared for the race anyways, so we all get another good sleep tonight and then we go to attack tomorrow.“