Yoshimura SERT Motul is the new World Endurance Championship (EWC) world champion after winning the Bol d’Or. This victory marks the return of the Japanese team to the top of the podium after three years, with the Paul Ricard circuit being the stage for the Japanese party.
The trio of Gregg Black, Etienne Masson and Dan Linfoot demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the 24-hour race. The team finished with a seven-lap advantage over the Yamaha KM99, ridden by Randy de Puniet, Jeremy Guarnoni and Florian Marino. Even more impressive was the 17 lap gap to their closest rivals in the championship, the YART team.
Yoshimura SERT Motul’s victory at the 2024 Bol d’Or not only marks his return to the championship title, but also highlights the importance of preparation and strategy in one of the most challenging competitions in world motorcycling. The team demonstrated exemplary tactical skill, taking advantage of their opponents’ difficulties and maintaining a consistent performance throughout the demanding 24-hour race.
The race was marked by the many difficulties presented by the competition, with the Yamaha Austria Racing Team (YART), the championship leader at the start of the race, facing significant mechanical problems, including a damaged tire that forced Karel Hanika to stop at Turn 1.
The Honda Viltais #333 was not without problems, with an engine failure in the final stages of the race, forcing it to withdraw from the fight for the first places, and Hannes Soomer, from BMW Motorrad and who started from pole position, saw his hopes victory faded after an accident at 2:34 am local time.
In the Superstock class
In the Superstock class, Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers took victory, beating teams Rac41 and TRT27. National Motos Honda secured the category title with a notable performance from Guillaume Raymond, Sebastien Suchet and Valentin Suchet.