Bol d’Or – 85ème Bol d’Or – Race – Remaining outcomes after 24 hours – Provisional rating
Extra, from a press launch issued by FIM EWC:
Race report: Viltais Racing Igol takes dramatic win as Bol d’Or centenary serves up an EWC thriller
September 18 2022
*Bol d’Or lives as much as its legendary standing with a 24-hour race of excessive drama and attrition
*Late heartbreak for ERC Endurance-Ducati permits privateer Yamaha crew for glory
*F.C.C. TSR Honda France wins FIM Endurance World Championship for Groups
*FIM EWC Superstock World Cup goes to Staff 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore
*4 totally different bike producers within the high 5 highlights EWC’s open competitors
*Prime two separated by 5.6 seconds after 16 hours of intense endurance racing
Viltaïs Racing Igol gained large by successful the One hundredth-anniversary Bol d’Or however F.C.C. TSR Honda France gained greater nonetheless by claiming FIM Endurance World Championship glory after 24 arduous hours of racing at Circuit Paul Ricard this afternoon (Sunday).
F.C.C. TSR Honda France’s title success adopted a race of excessive drama and excessive attrition within the southern French sunshine and comes on the completion of one other action-packed EWC season, which additionally featured 24-hour races at Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps, plus a return to Japan for the Suzuka 8 Hours.
In entrance of packed grandstands, Viltaïs Racing Igol’s maiden EWC victory was dramatic and considerably surprising in equal measure however was nonetheless becoming reward for Staff Supervisor Yannick Lucot’s tireless efforts behind the scenes, a powerful show from using trio Florian Alt (Germany), Erwan Nigon (France) and Steven Odendaal (South Africa), plus essential contributions from reserve rider James Westmoreland (Nice Britain).
Viltaïs Racing Igol’s Bol d’Or victory meant the 4 race wins up for grabs within the 2022 EWC have been claimed by 4 totally different groups, such has been the wide-open nature of the championship this season. And to underline its competitiveness each the EWC qualifying and race lap information at Circuit Paul Ricard have been damaged by Illya Mykhalchyk (1m51.641s) and Xavi Forés (1m52.979s) respectively.
Late Bol d’Or heartbreak for EWC aces
Up till the ultimate 90 minutes of the Bol d’Or, long-term chief ERC Endurance-Ducati was seemingly on track for victory solely to cease with a mechanical failure whereas comfortably in entrance. That left Wójcik Racing Staff on the head of the pack. However in one other late twist, the Polish squad’s Yamaha slowed, forcing Mathieu Gines to push the bike to the pitlane for repairs.
When Dan Linfoot finally returned the #77 machine to the monitor, greater than 5 minutes had been misplaced together with hopes of victory for Gines, Linfoot and Sheridan Morais as France-based Viltaïs Racing Igol, one other Yamaha privateer, swept right into a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
In the meantime, Wójcik Racing Staff’s eventual second place represented its greatest end of the season with Webike SRC Kawasaki France third in what was Gilles Stafler’s closing EWC race as crew boss earlier than he retires. Webike SRC Kawasaki France had additionally did not land a podium in 2022 previous to the Bol d’Or and really led for a time earlier than dropping again with an engine wiring subject forward of its charging comeback.
For ERC Endurance-Ducati riders David Checa and Xavi Forés, their late heartbreak was exhausting to take after they’d shared using duties for a big a part of the race when Chaz Davies harm his again and couldn’t proceed. Regardless of the extremely emotional scenes within the crew storage as a near-certain victory slipped away, Checa regained his composure to return to the motion for the final hour following fast repairs by his German outfit. He took fifth behind the F.C.C. TSR Honda France crew, which additionally made one other unscheduled pitstop within the closing two hours having been delayed earlier within the race.
MACO Racing completed a robust sixth, Staff Bolliger Switzerland was the following greatest Components EWC squad in ninth general regardless of Nico Thöni crashing two corners into the race. Staff LRP Poland completed two locations additional again, whereas Motobox Kremer Racing was subsequent up within the headlining class adopted by Japanese newcomer TONE RT Syncedge 4413 BMW.
TATI Staff Beringer Racing was main and in rivalry for the EWC title when it stopped with a technical subject on Sunday morning, a lot to the frustration of the French crew and its riders Leon Haslam, Grégory Leblanc and Bastien Mackels.
Success in Superstock for RAC41-Chromeburner and Staff 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore
RAC41-Chromeburner claimed Superstock class honours forward of BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers in a reversal of final season’s ending positions with Pitlane Endurance taking third place. Along with crew regulars Chris Leesch and Wayne Tessels, RAC41-Chromeburner recruited Jonathan Hardt for the ultimate spherical.
The Frenchman was a part of the BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers crew that took high Bol d’Or Superstock honours in 2021 and his inclusion appeared to make the distinction to the squad, which overcame a late scare when its Honda’s exhaust failed.
No Limits Motor Staff, Falcon Racing, Énergie Endurance, JMA Racing Motion Bike, Staff 33 Louit April Moto, ADSS 97, Staff Aviobike, Staff 202 and TRT 27 Bazar 2 La Bécane all completed however there was disappointment for Staff LH Racing, Nationwide Motos Honda and 3ART Better of Bike.
OG Motorsport by Sarazin led till Alex Plancassagne crashed simply earlier than 02h50 to deliver out the protection automobile whereas trackside obstacles have been repaired, whereas late mechanical points denied Wójcik Racing Staff’s pole-setting Superstock squad a category podium nearing the end.
Staff 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore took the FIM Endurance World Cup title regardless of dropping out of rivalry with a mechanical failure, which took a number of hours to rectify. Nonetheless, the Superstock win at Le Mans and a second place at Spa-Francorchamps have been sufficient to safe the title for the Yamaha-powered crew, which counted on riders Baptiste Guittet and Hugo Clere from France plus Austrian Philipp Steinmayr.
Excessive 5 time as F.C.C. TSR Honda France turns into FIM EWC world champion
For F.C.C. TSR Honda France, its FIM Endurance World Championship title success follows on from the 2017-18 season when Josh Hook was partnered by Freddy Foray and Alan Techer to the EWC’s high prize. The Japanese squad was considered one of 5 outfits in a agency struggle for glory beginning the Bol d’Or however prevailed as its 4 rivals hit bother. All-season riders Mike Di Meglio and Hook have been joined on the #5 Honda for the ultimate occasion of the yr by Alan Techer instead of Gino Rea, who suffered critical head accidents in a crash at Suzuka final month however helped F.C.C. TSR Honda France to podiums within the 24 Heures Motos and the 24H SPA EWC Motos earlier within the marketing campaign. Defending champion Yoshimura SERT Motul positioned second within the closing championship order with Viltaïs Racing Igol third. All outcomes are topic to closing affirmation.
Whereas F.C.C. TSR Honda France celebrated, there was Bol d’Or heartache for a number of groups, together with three EWC title contenders, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Staff, which certified on pole, YART – Yamaha Official Staff EWC and Yoshimura SERT Motul. Staff Moto Ain additionally failed to complete by means of technical points having impressed with fifth quickest in qualifying.
RIDER QUOTES
Steven Odendaal (Viltaïs Racing Igol, Yamaha YZF-R1, successful Bol d’Or Components EWC crew rider): “This race has been unbelievable. To be in a French crew successful on French soil is simply one thing wonderful. Yannick Lucot, my crew boss, had a extremely large dream of at the present time and my team-mates and I, we fulfilled this so we’re actually, actually pleased with this victory. Clearly we didn’t anticipate this, we simply knew we needed to make every little thing the utmost and we simply did this and eventually we’ve bought this large trophy, which is wonderful, and I’m actually completely satisfied to stroll away with my first EWC podium being a victory.”
Josh Hook (F.C.C. TSR Honda France, Honda CB R1000 RR-R, FIM Endurance World Championship successful crew rider): “I do know from the previous by no means to assume the race is over till the chequered flag. We’ve come again from a lot worse conditions and gained races previously. We did run into some dramas as everybody else did it appears. We by no means gave up on it and simply stored chipping away. We did a whole lot of actually good race runs all all through the night time and we have been constantly quick all three of us. Mainly we have been going to see the place we have been at when the solar got here up within the morning however we by no means counted the win out in any respect. Nevertheless it got here to a degree in time once we needed to toss up whether or not we targeted on the championship, which is clearly our most important goal, or the race win. We determined to maintain the engine after getting slightly nervous and seeing everybody else’s bikes blowing up and there wasn’t many left ultimately. We tried to be as conservative as potential and simply deliver residence the championship for our crew, Honda and all our companions.”
Wayne Tessels (RAC41-Chromeburner, Honda CB R1000 RR-R, successful Bol d’Or Superstock rider): “For us it was a extremely good race. The second half was fairly tough for me personally, however I used to be very completely satisfied that the bike labored effectively and likewise my colleagues Jonathan [Hardt] and Chris [Leesch] did a hell of a job, a extremely good job. I’m additionally actually completely satisfied we took this win as a result of at Le Mans Grégory Fastre, our team-mate, had an damage, which was fairly dangerous, and it’s additionally for him that we lastly gained and I’m completely satisfied to be on the rostrum right here.”
Philipp Steinmayr (Staff 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore, Yamaha YZF-R1, FIM Endurance World Cup successful crew rider): “It was a troublesome race, like a rollercoaster up and down, up and down. It’s nice to win the World Cup, we managed it with the factors, we had an excellent qualification and the crew labored completely all season. It was an excellent job by all.”
Fores’ sensational slipstream overtake an early Bol d’Or spotlight
The opening laps of the One hundredth-anniversary delivered extra traditional FIM Endurance World Championship motion with Gregg Black, Mike Di Meglio, Xavi Forés and Markus Reiterberger all taking their flip to steer the EWC season decider. Nevertheless it was Forés who pulled off probably the most spectacular move, overtaking his three rivals on a sensational slipstream transfer on the Mistral Straight.
Yoshimura SERT Motul Staff Director Kato speaks of pleasure following EWC DNF
Yoshimura SERT Motul Staff Director Yohei Kato spoke of his pleasure after a mechanical failure robbed the Japanese squad of a potential Bol d’Or victory repeat and a second consecutive FIM Endurance World Championship crown. After Gregg Black held the lead throughout the early phases, Kazuki Watanabe was on board the #1 Suzuki GSX-R1000R when bother struck on lap 34.
EWC neighborhood exhibits its help for Gino Rea
Gino Rea was a much-missed member of the FIM Endurance World Championship household throughout the Bol d’Or whereas he continues his restoration from critical head accidents sustained in a crash whereas working towards for the Suzuka 8 Hours final month. A GoFundMe enchantment launched by his household to assist his in depth rehabilitation was promoted on dwell tv protection of the occasion and throughout the EWC’s social media channels. All groups have been supplied with Preserve combating Gino Rea stickers to be used on their bikes in a robust present of help for the favored British rider, who helped F.C.C. TSR Honda France to podium finishes at Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps earlier this season.
