Team SRC Kawasaki France have picked up pole at the Bol d’Or ahead of F.C.C. TSR Honda France and YART Yamaha following a hotly contested second qualifying session.

Thanks to Randy de Puniet setting yet another lap record on the Paul Ricard circuit (a 1:54.007), Jérémy Guarnoni stepping up his performance to come in under the 1:55 mark and David Checa making strong progress, Team SRC Kawasaki France took pole position on the starting grid of the 82nd Bol d’Or.

Other than the prestige of seeing its name at the top of the timesheets, the pole position enabled Team SRC Kawasaki France to score 5 points. The new 2018-2019 FIM EWC rules state that a bonus 5 to 1 points will be awarded to the top 5 teams on the starting grid.

Team SRC Kawasaki France has thereby strengthened its position as the favourite for the win. While Randy de Puniet posted his fastest lap using qualifying tyres, David Checa, who is still getting to grips with the Kawasaki, admits he was able to up his performance with the help of race tyres.

Japanese team F.C.C. TSR Honda France’s Josh Hook, Freddy Foray and Mike Di Meglio narrowly edged out YART Yamaha to 2nd spot on the grid. The YART riders Broc Parkes, Niccolò Canepa and Marvin Fritz had been fastest in yesterday’s first qualifying.

Next up on the grid is ERC-BMW Motorrad Endurance, still well placed for the win, ahead of Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, Honda Endurance Racing, Wepol Racing (Yamaha) and Yamaha Viltaïs Pierret Experiences, who will have to replace Axel Maurin with Vincent Lonbois because Maurin sustained an injury during his qualifying session this morning.

The first Superstock bike on the grid is in 9th place. Team 33 Coyote Louit Moto confirmed its ambitions this morning with riders Enzo Boulom, Chris Leesch and Kevin Manfredi. Their Kawasaki #33 is ahead of Superstock rivals Gert56 (BMW) and Junior Team LMS Suzuki.

2018 Bol d'Or combined qualifying times

1 11 TEAM SRC KAWASAKI FRANCE DE PUNIET Randy GUARNONI Jérémy CHECA David Kawasaki EWC 1:54.007 1:54.936 1:55.772 1:54.905 -
2 1 F.C.C. TSR Honda France HOOK Josh FORAY Freddy DI MEGLIO Mike Honda EWC 1:55.110 1:55.459 1:55.136 1:55.235 0.330
3 7 YART - YAMAHA PARKES Broc CANEPA Niccolò FRITZ Marvin Yamaha EWC 1:55.230 1:55.470 1:55.066 1:55.255 0.350
4 6 ERC-BMW Motorrad Endurance FORAY Kenny DA COSTA Julien GINES Mathieu BMW EWC 1:54.997 1:55.780 1:55.428 1:55.401 0.496
5 2 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team PHILIPPE Vincent MASSON Etienne BLACK Gregg Suzuki EWC 1:55.678 1:55.927 1:55.623 1:55.742 0.837
6 111 Honda Endurance Racing GIMBERT Sébastien LEBLANC Grégory NIGON Erwan Honda EWC 1:55.864 1:56.263 1:55.575 1:55.900 0.995
7 13 WEPOL Racing WEBB Daniel LAGRIVE Matthieu MORAIS Sheridan Yamaha EWC 1:55.968 1:56.544 1:56.106 1:56.206 1.301
8 333 Yamaha Viltaïs Pierret Experiences ALT Florian MAURIN Axel TECHER Alan Yamaha EWC 1:56.041 1:56.717 1:56.615 1:56.457 1.552
9 33 Team 33 Coyote Louit Moto BOULOM Enzo LEESCH Chris MANFREDI Kevin * Kawasaki SST 1:56.990 1:57.788 1:55.920 1:56.899 1.994
10 56 Gert56 German Endurance Racing Team PUFFE Julian KERSCHBAUMER Stefan ALTENDORFER Filip BMW SST 1:56.079 1:56.115 1:58.634 1:56.942 2.037
11 36 3ART- MOTO TEAM 95 PLANCASSAGNE Alex LUSSIANA Matthieu BERCHET Morgan Yamaha EWC 1:57.862 1:58.289 1:55.739 1:57.296 2.391
12 8 Bolliger Team Switzerland STAMM Roman SUCHET Sébastien * HUGOT Jonathan Kawasaki EWC 1:57.322 1:56.085 1:58.501 1:57.302 2.397
13 72 Junior Team LMS Suzuki CLERE Hugo SARRABAYROUSE Alex ROSSI Louis Suzuki SST 1:57.300 1:58.308 1:56.394 1:57.334 2.429
14 9 TECMAS BMW HEDELIN Camille MASBOU Alexis BONNOT Maxime BMW EWC 1:57.766 1:57.137 1:57.536 1:57.479 2.574
15 21 MERCURY RACING HANIKA Karel PERRET David JEŽEK Ondrej BMW EWC 1:56.225 1:58.512 1:58.283 1:57.673 2.768
16 96 MOTO AIN ROLFO Roberto MULHAUSER Robin PILOT Julien Yamaha SST 1:57.730 1:56.963 1:58.670 1:57.787 2.882
17 4 Tati Team Beaujolais Racing ENJOLRAS Julien DENIS Kevin DEGUCHI Osamu Kawasaki SST 1:57.714 1:57.858 1:58.198 1:57.923 3.018
18 24 BMRT 3D MACCIO RACING LOISEAU Anthony * MACCIO Jimmy HARDT Jonathan Kawasaki SST 1:56.889 1:59.553 1:57.537 1:57.993 3.088
19 14 MACO RACING Team BULLE Louis DOS SANTOS Anthony MAYER Julian Yamaha EWC 1:57.289 1:58.593 1:58.557 1:58.146 3.241
20 44 No Limits Motor Team SCASSA Luca MAZZINA Michael Suzuki SST - 1:57.941 1:58.667 1:58.304 3.399
21 50 Team April Moto Motors Events FASTRÉ Grégory GUITTET Baptiste COGHLAN Kev Suzuki SST 1:58.714 1:57.509 1:58.713 1:58.312 3.407
22 18 Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers FERRER Enrique CAMUS Robin * TOURNE Florent Kawasaki SST 1:58.459 1:58.168 1:58.811 1:58.479 3.574
23 55 National Motos JONCHIERE Emeric EGEA Stéphane GOUGET Gaetan Honda EWC 1:57.950 1:58.377 1:59.962 1:58.763 3.858
24 3 AM Moto Racing Competition VIOLLAND Anthony ALIERN Anthony PROKOP Janusch Kawasaki SST 1:58.850 1:59.530 1:58.280 1:58.886 3.981
25 61 MOTOTECH EWC TEAM LAMBRECHTS Bram WALRAVEN Nigel BUCHNER Marc Yamaha EWC 1:59.698 1:57.923 1:59.477 1:59.032 4.127
26 17 TTS EXCENT PONS Gabriel DEPOORTER Olivier ANZELINI Adrien Kawasaki EXP 1:59.352 1:59.652 1:58.955 1:59.319 4.414
27 65 Motobox Kremer Racing #65 KEMMER Christopher DEHAYE Geoffroy ORTIZ Gregory Yamaha EWC 1:57.635 2:00.430 1:59.909 1:59.324 4.419
28 68 ATOMIC 68 ANTIGA Guillaume NAPOLI Christian NAPOLI Federico Suzuki SST 1:58.311 1:59.938 1:59.945 1:59.398 4.493
29 66 sarazin motorsport by hall moto 02 DIGUET Julien GANFORNINA Adrien PAGANI Stéphane Yamaha SST 1:59.902 1:59.246 1:59.192 1:59.446 4.541
30 10 SET Racing BERGMAN Christoffer TUOVINEN Jari VALTONEN Ville Yamaha EWC 1:57.791 2:00.114 2:00.937 1:59.614 4.709
31 777 Wójcik Racing Team 2 PASEK Adrian KRZEMIEC Kamil STEINMAYR Philipp Yamaha SST 1:59.656 2:00.306 1:59.060 1:59.674 4.769
32 76 Cottard Motosport GOETSCHY Jonathan LEVRIER Quentin AUBRY Jean Edouard Suzuki SST 1:59.641 2:00.683 1:58.868 1:59.730 4.825
33 77 Wójcik Racing Team SZKOPEK Marek SZKOPEK Pawel GÓRKA Pawel Yamaha EWC 1:59.587 1:58.659 2:00.953 1:59.733 4.828
34 90 Team LRP Poland FRIEDRICH Arnaud LEWANDOWSKI Bartlomiej BUKOWSKI Daniel BMW EWC 1:58.476 2:01.579 1:59.511 1:59.855 4.950
35 27 TRT27 BAZAR 2 LA BECANE BOSCOSCURO Andrea ROSSO Niccolò CUZIN Bernard Suzuki SST 1:59.931 2:00.421 2:00.755 2:00.369 5.464
36 91 ENERGIE ENDURANCE 91 ROUSSANGE Noel LAVAINNE Kevin MEUNIER Leo Kawasaki SST 2:00.157 2:01.095 2:00.573 2:00.608 5.703
37 34 JMA MOTOS ACTION BIKE MILLE Dylan LAGER Sebastien MONTESSUIT Guillaume Suzuki SST 1:59.548 2:01.990 2:00.960 2:00.832 5.927
38 86 PITLANE ENDURANCE DUFOUR Paul CROIX Karl GRANZOTTTO Clément Yamaha SST 2:01.593 2:01.181 1:59.821 2:00.865 5.960
39 41 Rac 41 CORNUT Billy AYER Alexandre AYNIE Axel Honda SST 2:02.134 2:00.528 1:59.995 2:00.885 5.980
40 38 FGN RACING PROTAT Frédéric FERRE Julien FERRE Eddy Yamaha SST 2:03.371 2:00.790 1:59.558 2:01.239 6.334
41 26 Zuff Racing Team FRAGA Sébastien PITTET Adrien TRUEB Kevin Honda SST 2:00.863 2:02.018 2:01.340 2:01.407 6.502
42 121 FALCON RACING LOUAULT Olivier PEPIN Eric BRARD Christophe Yamaha SST 2:01.074 2:01.253 2:02.103 2:01.476 6.571
43 35 TMC 35 BILLEGA John-Ross DIARD Maxime LE BAIL David Yamaha SST 2:02.152 2:00.824 2:01.978 2:01.651 6.746
44 29 Glazik Moto - Sport Passion Endurance GUCCIARDI Maxime BRUNET-LUGARDON Cyril BRUNET-LUGARDON Flo… Suzuki EWC 2:00.874 2:03.107 2:01.252 2:01.744 6.839
45 93 Exteria Eko Racing Team SIEDER Kevin CHMELÍK Ladislav * NOVOSEL Renato BMW SST 2:01.529 2:00.846 2:03.219 2:01.864 6.959
46 40 FAST TEAM RACING BOUVIER David CHERON Herve * DAGAULT Manu Kawasaki SST 1:59.687 2:02.161 2:03.909 2:01.919 7.014
47 12 LCR ENDURANCE LEYNINGER Julien CARMENES Xavier VERCHERE Florent Yamaha SST 2:00.414 2:02.609 2:02.823 2:01.948 7.043
48 37 Space Moto LANGLOIS Steve ROCHE Charles GALLERAND Julien Suzuki EWC 2:01.585 2:02.611 2:01.845 2:02.013 7.108
49 74 SEIGNEUR MOTORSPORT RACING HENRIQUES David BACHELIER Marc SEIGNEUR Christophe BMW SST 2:00.031 2:02.899 2:03.753 2:02.227 7.322
50 22 TEAM 202 PARRET Florent ROCHE David CALIA Olivier Yamaha SST 2:02.386 2:03.307 2:02.467 2:02.720 7.815
51 212 Team Dunlop Motors Events JACOB Kevin POTILLION Simon HIRTH Valentin Suzuki SST 2:03.589 2:02.502 2:02.564 2:02.885 7.980
52 16 TEAM BROKE RACING GENTIL Christian METEIER Thomas ALBERTINI Christophe Yamaha EWC 2:01.791 2:04.871 2:02.087 2:02.916 8.011
53 20 FLAM RACING #20 LAMBERT Fabien WANHAM Margaux CURTOLO Arnaud * Suzuki SST 2:05.064 2:02.811 2:01.375 2:03.083 8.178
54 62 GSM RACING FUGARDI Stefano SERRA Sebastien FUDALA Michael Suzuki EWC 2:03.315 2:05.039 2:03.664 2:04.006 9.101
55 156 PLAYERS LACAZE Stéphane NOEL François PASCO Yann Kawasaki SST 2:04.117 2:03.205 2:04.963 2:04.095 9.190
56 64 ACRO RACING TEAM 64 BEN SADOUN Julien KIPP Mathias Yamaha EWC - 2:03.272 2:05.097 2:04.184 9.279
57 196 FSB MATT RACING BOTTOGLIERI Frederic * GRAS Rémy THEROUIN Nicolas Kawasaki EWC 2:03.161 2:03.926 2:05.557 2:04.214 9.309
58 70 TeamGP GODDET Sylvain DURET Steve RESBEUT Damien Yamaha SST 2:04.655 2:03.065 2:05.171 2:04.297 9.392
59 89 PHI ENDURANCE CHEVALIER Bernard BEROT Marc VINCENT Didier Kawasaki EWC 2:04.894 2:05.252 2:03.160 2:04.435 9.530