Technical problems are multiplying among the leaders this Saturday during the Bol d’Or, on the Paul-Ricard circuit in Le Castellet.
SERT and Suzuki ended their more than four-decade adventure at the Bol d’Or on Saturday evening with a retirement caused by an engine problem, the Ducati N.6 leading the race on the Paul-Ricard circuit in Le Castellet.
As the six-hour race approached, the Ducati preceded the Kawasaki N.4 and the Suzuki N.333, motorcycles which benefited from the retirements of two of the big favourites, the Suzuki N.1 and the BMW N.37. For the Suzuki N.1 of the Yoshimura SERT team, the sentence fell early Saturday evening, after the mechanics spent nearly three hours trying to repair the engine.
Defending champion and leader of the World Endurance Championship (EWC), SERT suffered a mechanical incident on lap 34, canceling a good start to the race made by Frenchman Gregg Black, double winner of the Bol d’Or. (2019 and 2021). SERT could also suddenly have to give up the EWC championship title to Kawasaki, third with Tati Team Beringer.
BMW’s Misfortunes
Neither the YART Yamaha, 2nd in the standings with 107 points but stopped at its pits since the 104th lap due to a mechanical incident, nor BMW (3rd with 97 points) forced to retire, will be able to dislodge the SERT. The BMW N.37, which started from pole position, withdrew from the race after a mechanical problem on the 66th lap.
Back on the track after a first pit stop, the Motorrad World Endurance TEAM BMW, driven by German Markus Reiterberger, Ukrainian Illya Mykhalchyk and Frenchman Jérémy Guarnoni, was only able to complete two laps before having to go back to his garage. The Kawasaki N.11, which was still in 2nd place after more than three hours of racing, was also affected by a mechanical incident on lap 116.
All of these woes of the EWC class stables have benefited the members of the Superstock class, lower horsepower bikes. The Yamaha N.777 was thus displayed in 5th place.
The Bol d’Or is the last race on the EWC world championship calendar, after the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Spa, which took place in June, and the 8 Hours of Suzuka, contested in early August. Suzuki is the most successful brand with 18 victories at Le Castellet but has announced its withdrawal from the EWC, as well as MotoGP, at the end of this season.