Team SRC Kawasaki will start from pole position tomorrow at the Bol d’Or, ahead of YART Yamaha and F.C.C. TSR Honda France. The race – the opening round of the 2017-2018 FIM EWC – will start at 3pm on the Paul Ricard circuit.

SRC Kawasaki will have a head start on the competition. Mathieu Gines, Fabien Foret and Randy de Puniet (who set his quickest lap - a 1’57.532), put the ZX 10R #11 in pole position at the Bol d’Or, the opening round of the 2017-2018 FIM EWC.

YART and TSR significantly improved their performances in the second qualifying session this morning, despite cool weather and a spell of light rain. The Austrian Yamaha squad (Broc Parkes, Marvin Fritz and Kohta Nozane) took second place on the starting grid, just ahead of Josh Hook, Alan Techer and Freddy Foray on the Japanese Honda.

In fourth place on the grid is Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, still very much a favourite to win with riders Vincent Philippe, Etienne Masson and Gregg Black in the saddle of the GSX-R 1000 2017.

Another team to watch out for is Honda Endurance Racing with its rejigged line-up (Gregory Leblanc, Sébastien Gimbert and Yonny Hernández), not to mention 2016-2017 FIM EWC champions GMT94 Yamaha (David Checa, Niccolò Canepa and Mike Di Meglio), respectively fifth and sixth on the grid.

Two BMW squads – Team Tecmas and IV Racing BMW CSEU – will line up next to each other on the grid, in 7th and 8th place.Right behind them is Yamaha Viltaïs Experiences, winner of the 2016-2017 FIM EWC World Cup and the top Superstock team post-qualifying at the Bol d’Or. The two other quickest teams in this class were Team 33 Accessoires Louit Moto and Ecurie Chrono Sport.

Combined qualifying

1 11 TEAM SRC KAWASAKI GINES Mathieu DE PUNIET Randy FORET Fabien Kawasaki EWC 1:59.412 1:57.532 1:58.883 1:58.609 -
2 7 YART - YAMAHA PARKES Broc FRITZ Marvin NOZANE Kohta Yamaha EWC 1:58.560 1:58.966 1:59.220 1:58.915 0.306
3 5 F.C.C. TSR Honda France HOOK Josh TECHER Alan FORAY Freddy Honda EWC 1:59.676 1:58.378 1:58.785 1:58.946 0.337
4 2 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team PHILIPPE Vincent MASSON Etienne BLACK Gregg Suzuki EWC 1:58.893 1:59.226 1:58.842 1:58.987 0.378
5 111 Honda Endurance Racing LEBLANC Grégory GIMBERT Sébastien HERNANDEZ Yonny Honda EWC 1:59.295 1:58.814 1:59.623 1:59.244 0.635
6 94 GMT94 YAMAHA CHECA David CANEPA Niccolò DI MEGLIO Mickael Yamaha EWC 1:59.801 1:59.032 2:00.074 1:59.635 1.026
7 9 TECMAS - BMW FORAY Kenny DA COSTA Julien HEDELIN Camille BMW EWC 1:59.050 1:59.022 2:01.231 1:59.767 1.158
8 21 EKO IVRacing BMW CSEU HANIKA Karel LAI Fabrizio MAYER Julian BMW EWC 1:59.271 2:00.168 2:01.178 2:00.205 1.596
9 333 Yamaha Viltaïs Experience MAURIN Axel MACKELS Bastien ALT Florian Yamaha SST 2:00.597 2:00.025 2:00.191 2:00.271 1.662
10 48 Voelpker NRT48 Schubert-Motors by ERC KERSCHBAUMER Stef… BÜHN Jan GLÖCKNER Lucy BMW EWC 2:00.910 1:59.627 2:01.008 2:00.515 1.906
11 13 WEPOL BMW Motorrad Team by penz13.c… REITERBERGER Mark… POLITA Alessandro WEBB Danny BMW EWC 1:59.206 2:01.186 2:01.375 2:00.589 1.980
12 33 Team 33 Accessoires - Louit Moto PEROLARI Corentin LEESCH Chris PONS Gabriel Kawasaki SST 1:59.639 2:02.040 2:00.901 2:00.860 2.251
13 8 Bolliger Team Switzerland STAMM Roman PERRET David MULHAUSER Robin Kawasaki EWC 2:00.482 2:01.178 2:00.976 2:00.878 2.269
14 14 MACO RACING Team JUNOD Greg DOS SANTOS Anthony BULLE Louis Yamaha EWC 2:01.079 2:01.554 2:00.673 2:01.102 2.493
15 69 Ecurie Chrono Sport ROSSI Louis MASBOU Alexis FERRARI Matteo Kawasaki SST 2:00.570 2:01.285 2:01.791 2:01.215 2.606
16 36 3ART - YAM AVENUE - MOTO TEAM 95 PLANCASSAGNE Alex MARCONI Luca BIJSTERBOSCH Pepijn Yamaha SST 2:01.689 2:00.796 2:01.943 2:01.476 2.867
17 96 MOTO AIN CRT PONSSON Christophe MILLET Julien MEDINA Alejandro Yamaha SST 2:01.778 2:01.629 2:01.434 2:01.613 3.004
18 72 Junior Team LMS Suzuki CAMUS Robin TANGRE Cédric CLERE Hugo Suzuki SST 2:01.496 2:01.979 2:01.367 2:01.614 3.005
19 50 Team April Moto Motors Events LAGRIVE Matthieu FASTRÉ Grégory GUITTET Baptiste Honda EWC 2:01.746 2:02.322 2:01.551 2:01.873 3.264
20 66 sarazin motorsport by hall moto 02 AUGER Fabrice DIGUET Julien Yamaha SST 2:01.622 - 2:02.353 2:01.987 3.378
21 87 Team R2CL - MKS - Partelya SALCHAUD Nicolas MACCIO Jimmy LOISEAU Anthony Suzuki EWC 2:01.910 2:02.883 2:01.262 2:02.018 3.409
22 101 Aviobike NAPOLI Christian NAPOLI Federico BAGGI Giovanni Yamaha SST 2:01.909 2:01.771 2:02.607 2:02.095 3.486
23 24 BMRT 3D MAXXESS NEVERS BONNOT Maxime HARDT Jonathan VIOLLAND Anthony Kawasaki SST 2:02.750 2:01.646 2:01.981 2:02.125 3.516
24 4 Tati Team Beaujolais Racing PILOT Julien DENIS Kevin ENJOLRAS Julien Kawasaki SST 2:02.223 2:01.780 2:02.422 2:02.141 3.532
25 44 No Limits Motor Team BOSCOSCURO Andrea MANFREDI Kevin MAZZINA Michael Suzuki SST 2:03.810 1:59.518 2:03.174 2:02.167 3.558
26 55 National Motos JONCHIERE Emeric EGEA Stéphane CUDLIN Damian Honda EWC 2:01.696 2:01.927 2:03.101 2:02.241 3.632
27 63 LMD 63 / ULTIMATE CUP QUELLET Erwan AUBRY Jean Edouard MARCHAL Mathieu Yamaha SST 2:02.270 2:03.392 2:02.514 2:02.725 4.116
28 3 AM Moto Racing Competition CHARPIN Mathieu FROSSARD Stéphane SOUCHON Nicolas Kawasaki SST 2:02.983 2:03.049 2:02.235 2:02.755 4.146
29 100 Hertrampf-Racing Endurance Hertrampf 100 SKACH Oliver VINCON Dominik NEKVASIL Marco Ducati STW 2:03.269 2:02.287 2:02.938 2:02.831 4.222
30 90 Team LRP Poland LEWANDOWSKI Bartlo… CERNÝ Jaroslav SZKOPEK Pawel BMW EWC 2:04.916 2:02.746 2:01.166 2:02.942 4.333
31 68 ATOMIC 68 NIGON Johan HUGOT Jonathan TREMBLAY Sebastien Suzuki SST 2:03.072 2:02.760 2:03.103 2:02.978 4.369
32 65 Motobox Kremer DEHAYE Geoffroy VIEHMANN Jan BELLUCCI Emiliano Yamaha EWC 2:02.906 2:03.300 2:03.128 2:03.111 4.502
33 41 Rac 41 SCHMIDT Cyprien GOUGET Gaetan AYNIE Axel Honda SST 2:03.846 2:03.113 2:02.915 2:03.291 4.682
34 18 Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers DUPUY Eddy BUISSON Dylan COLLIAUX Benjamin Kawasaki SST 2:04.379 2:01.556 2:04.934 2:03.623 5.014
35 34 JMA MOTOS ACTION BIKE BRIVET Cyril MILLE Dylan ROUSSEAU Kevin Suzuki SST 2:02.421 2:04.056 2:05.783 2:04.086 5.477
36 91 ENERGIE ENDURANCE 91 POT Guillaume ROUSSANGE Noel LAVAINNE Kevin Kawasaki SST 2:04.116 2:03.697 2:04.662 2:04.158 5.549
37 57 DL MOTO Racing MORIN Mickael FARLAT Eric Alexandre STOLL Clément Kawasaki SST 2:04.400 2:05.458 2:02.797 2:04.218 5.609
38 61 MOTOTECH EWC TEAM DEBRUYNE Marty DUWELZ Gauthier BUCHNER Marc Honda EWC 2:04.854 2:03.808 2:04.255 2:04.305 5.696
39 37 Space Moto 37 ROCHE Charles GALLERAND Julien LANGLOIS Steve Suzuki EWC 2:05.172 2:03.385 2:04.586 2:04.381 5.772
40 99 WSB-Endurance Team MAERTZ Danny HAINTHALER Thomas MÜLLER Sascha Kawasaki EWC 2:04.786 2:03.948 2:06.049 2:04.927 6.318
41 77 Wójcik Racing Team GÓRKA Pawel BUKOWSKI Daniel SZKOPEK Marek Yamaha EWC 2:04.874 2:06.706 2:04.599 2:05.393 6.784
42 212 Team Dunlop Motors Events AUZOUX Christopher CHALLAMEL Léo CHESNAIS Florent Honda SST 2:06.175 2:03.734 2:07.489 2:05.799 7.190
43 16 TEAM GP MOTO MARTINEZ Jonathan LANZIANI Fabrice BRILLAT Christophe Kawasaki EWC 2:04.339 2:06.141 2:06.953 2:05.811 7.202
44 97 LMC ENDURANCE SIMON Matthieu DEJEAN Arnaud ANDREU Stephane Yamaha EWC 2:07.431 2:03.843 2:06.397 2:05.890 7.281
45 26 Zuff Racing Team ZUFFEREY Kévin AEBERHARD Jeff Honda SST 2:05.032 - 2:06.945 2:05.988 7.379
46 199 ARTEC #199 BERGERON Lionel ARRONDEAU Jean-Baptis… SPAETH Guillaume Kawasaki SST 2:07.405 2:05.968 2:05.774 2:06.382 7.773
47 22 Glazik Moto Sport Passion Endurance GUCCIARDI Maxime LE BAIL David CHARLIER Jean Christo… Suzuki EWC 2:05.175 2:06.623 2:08.081 2:06.626 8.017
48 39 Moto 39 Competition CHELI Nicolas TACHIN Frédéric BENICHOU Léon Kawasaki SST 2:06.552 2:06.536 2:06.942 2:06.676 8.067
49 64 ACRO RACING TEAM 64 LEYNINGER Julien VIC William MARTINS Rudy Yamaha EWC 2:05.228 2:07.523 2:07.989 2:06.913 8.304
50 81 Z RACING GIRON Mickael ANCELIN Lionel MONAYA Gregory Ducati STW 2:08.124 2:06.045 2:06.602 2:06.923 8.314
51 76 FLAM RACING LAMBERT Fabien CURTOLO Arnaud WANHAM Margaux Suzuki SST 2:07.667 2:05.883 2:07.492 2:07.014 8.405
52 74 CAMBODGE / ACR 74 HUGUENIN Yohann VIAL Serge GRIPPI Romain Suzuki SST 2:05.927 2:07.551 2:07.672 2:07.050 8.441
53 12 SPEEDTEAM72 LOYAU Nicolas DELHOMMEAU Sébastien BEQUIN Freddy Yamaha SST 2:07.793 2:06.556 2:07.482 2:07.277 8.668
54 19 GIRLS RACING TEAM CREUSOT Amandine VAN WESTRENEN Jolanda SIMORRE Muriel Yamaha SST 2:07.595 2:05.672 2:08.645 2:07.304 8.695
55 32 AMSS-TRB VIDRA TEAM SERBIA MILETIC Dalibor VIDIC Veljko Yamaha EWC 2:06.783 2:08.204 - 2:07.493 8.884
56 89 PHI ENDURANCE VINCENT Didier CHEVALIER Bernard Kawasaki EWC 2:04.935 - 2:10.426 2:07.680 9.071
57 83 SKULL motor's / Aquaserv CHERMEUX Thomas VEZZUTI Julien GALLAND Romain Kawasaki EWC 2:07.716 2:07.377 2:08.200 2:07.764 9.155
58 116 TEAM BROKE RACING VIDEAU Sylvain BABONAUX Adrien PLUQUET Laurent Yamaha EWC 2:08.684 2:06.907 2:08.947 2:08.179 9.570
59 71 Team Mongore 13 endurance SANCHEZ Emmanuel ZAKINE Jerome FERRE Eddy Aprilia EWC 2:08.297 2:08.770 2:08.539 2:08.535 9.926