The oldest 24-hour race is currently taking place on the Paul Ricard circuit in Le Castellet. And it will continue for the next three years! Earlier this year, the Sud Sainte-Baume agglomeration council voted to perpetuate the event on the site by purchasing advertising space from the competition organizer. The aim is to promote the Provence Sud Sainte-Baume tourist destination and, above all, to keep this international sporting event in the region.
The Bol d'Or "is a lot of money", but not only that...
The financial support amounts to 400,000 euros over four years, i.e. 100,000 euros per year paid to AMCF Sport, renewable each year until 2027. The decision sparked debate. Despite three abstentions, the funding was approved. Created in 1922, this "motorcycle festival", present in the Var between 1978 and 1999, then again since 2015, thus benefits from a new perenniality. Motor sports fans will therefore continue to attend the Bol d'Or in Le Castellet. "The world's oldest 24-hour motorcycle race will be held on the iconic circuit in the south of France until at least 2029," they confirmed in a press release.
For the time being, the 87th edition of the Bol d'Or, will run for the 31ᵉ time on the Circuit Paul Ricard, in the Var, closing the FIM EWC Endurance World Championship. Testing was completed...
The Bol d'or 2024 program
Thursday, September 12, 5.20-7.40pm: qualifying practice 1 Q1
Thursday, September 12, 8:40-9:40 p.m.: night practice
Friday, September 13, 11 a.m.-12.50 p.m.: Qualifying practice 2 Q2
Saturday, September 14, 3 p.m.: Start
Sunday, September 15, 3 p.m.: finish
Winners of the first EWC World Championship races
24 h du Mans Yoshimura Sert (Gregg Black, Etienne Masson, Dan Linfoot)
8 h de Spa: Yart-Yamaha (Niccolo Canepa, Marvin Fritz, Karel Hanika)
suzuka 8 h: HRC (Takumi Takahashi, Johann Zarco, Teppei Nagoe)
Overall World Championship standings
1. Yart Yamaha (116 points)
2. Yoshimura Sert (110 pts)
3. BMW Motorrad (72 pts)
4. Tati team Beringer (61 pts)
5. Bollinger Switzerland (43 pts)
Bol d'Or wins (EWC)
- 2018: FCC TSR Honda (Freddy Foray, Joshua Hook, Mike Di Meglio)
- 2019 : SERT (Vincent Philippe, Étienne Masson, Gregg Black)
- 2021: Yoshimura SERT (Sylvain Guintoli, Xavier Siméon, Gregg Black)
- 2022: Viltaïs Racing (Florian Alt, Erwan Nigon, Steven Odendaal)
- 2023: Yoshimura SERT (Gregg Black, Sylvain Guintoli, Étienne Masson)
Yoshimura SERT, winner of three of the last four editions, remains one of the main favorites for the Bol d'Or 2024. With Gregg Black and Étienne Masson, three-time and two-time winners of the event respectively, the team is hoping to consolidate its dominance. Their manager, Damien Saulnier, makes a simple observation: "In any case, we have to finish ahead of them", referring to their main rival, the YART Yamaha.
Indeed, the Austrian team currently dominates the Endurance World Championship (EWC), having finished second at the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours and Suzuka 8 Hours races. Just six points ahead of Yoshimura SERT, the battle for victory at the Bol d'Or will also be decisive for the outcome of the EWC championship. In 2023, Yoshimura SERT Motul's #12 Suzuki won the race, but the world crown has eluded the team since 2021.
Qualifying: drivers and teams already in action at the Bol d'Or
The first Bol d'Or qualifying sessions were organized into four groups of drivers (blue, yellow, red and green), each given 20 minutes on the 5.771 km Circuit Paul Ricard. The final ranking is based on the average times of the two fastest riders in each team.
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team took the lead in the first free practice session, setting the fastest time. Illya Mykhalchyk beat Niccolò Canepa of the Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team. F.C.C. TSR Honda France's Alan Techer finished third among the Red Riders.
For Kenny Foray, the Bol d'Or will serve as preparation for the final round of the French Superbike Championship (FSBK). On the contrary. In the group of blue riders, the Tecmas MRP BMW Racing Team rider finished 12th. The Berruyère-based Tecmas team is approaching this race with ambition, having skipped the Suzuka 8 Hours to concentrate its efforts on this round: "After our setbacks at Le Mans and Spa, we have everything to gain here, knowing that the Superbike title, where Kenny (Foray) is leader, remains our priority", declared the team.
Mathieu Gines, currently fourth in the French Superbike championship with Team 41 Performance, will be competing in the Superstock class. The 2014 EWC champion will race with Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore, the official representative of the fire department in the World Endurance Championship.
We'll of course be keeping a close eye on "La Tornade" Amandine Creusot and her crew...
Bol d'Or 2024: starting grid and broadcasts
The second qualifying session on Friday morning determined the starting grid for the 87th Bol d'Or. The session started at 11:00 a.m. and gave some teams the opportunity to adjust their set-up to better apprehend the Circuit Paul Ricard.A total of 45 teams are entered this year, including 15 in Formula EWC, 20 in Superstock and 2 in Experimental. At the head of the field, the BMW n37 confirms its good form of yesterday. It will start from pole position, ahead of the n1 Austrian Yamaha and the n12 "Sarthe" Suzuki featured on the poster drawn up for the event:
The one-day event will be broadcast on L'Équipe and Eurosport, allowing fans to follow this legendary race.
Off to the Bol d'Or?
On the occasion of this 81ᵉ edition, the VINCI Autoroutes Foundation is setting up motorcycle relays on the routes leading to the Le Castellet circuit, from today until Sunday. These relays will enable motorcyclists to take restorative breaks and benefit from sleep kits as well as advice on preventing drowsiness, a key factor in road accidents. At the same time, the Foundation will be raising awareness among all road users of the importance of adopting safe driving habits.
