It is quite unexpected for many people to have the official Suzuki of Vincent Philippe, Freddy Foray and Olivier Four leading the Bol d’Or after four hours of racing but the gaps are still very close. At the Suzuki’s tail, the Yamaha France GMT 94 and the Honda Michelin Power Research Team are twenty seconds behind, and the GSR Kawasaki of Kenny Noyes, Kenny Foray and Javier Fores just over one minute. The Yamaha Austria Racing Team of Gwen Giabbani, Igor Jerman and Steve Martin was leading the race from 3 to 6pm. Unfortunately, one engine case bolt got loose and an oil leak sent them back to the pits where they lost three laps. Despite this problem The YART is still in a good position to clinch their first world title this weekend. In sixth place, the Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers is having a great race and are leading the surprising Suzuki RAC 41 City Bike. Three others permanent teams are in the top ten: the Yamaha Phase One Endurance and the Suzuki RT Racing Team and AM Moto Racing Competition. In eleventh place is an odd machine, the Metiss, a prototype with a Suzuki engine and a single front arm, who is racing in the Open Class. In the Superstock class, the race is very disputed and the positions are changing all the time. The favourite, the Suzuki Junior Team LMS is back in 44th place after a crash at the beginning of the race. At 7 pm, the class leader is the Kawasaki Maccio Racing, ahead of the Suzuki Endurance Moto 45, the Yamaha Team 33 Mailperformance and the Suzuki Motor Events Joe Bar Team, TRT 27 Bazar 2 La Bécane and Qatar Endurance Racing Team, who lost time after a crash at 5 pm. The race started with a lot of drama. The safety-cars were on track from the second lap, after four bikes were involved in a crash at Adelaide. Cédric Tangre, surprise by a faulty back brake on the Suzuki Junior Team LMS sent down Emeric Jonchière on the Honda National Motos, Dani Ribalta on the Yamaha BK Maco Moto Racing, and Jérémy Keller on the Kawasaki Atomic Moto Sport. Emeric Jonchière suffered from a head trauma and was sent to the Nevers hospital, and couldn’t bring the bike back to the pits. At BK Maco Moto Racing, Jason Pridmore and Josh Hayes doubled their shift, to allow Dani Ribalta to recover from a painful wrist. Kawasaki Bolliger Team Swizerland are also at the back of the pack after a crash with Horst Saiger, involving another bike. Bolliger is in 33rd place at the end of the afternoon. Yamaha Amadeus XOne had to retire with a broken engine, after Anthony Dos Santos crashed twice. The Bol d’Or, penultimate round of the 2009 Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship, is already the occasion to prepare the next year season. Very close from the Honda Michelin team, former manager of Honda France 111 who came second at Le Mans, Bernard Rigoni seems to have some projects for next year. BMW is also looking into Endurance with their S 1000 RR. Last but not least, Josep Folch, present at Magny Cours, also have intentions to be back in the World Endurance next year.