FIM ENDURANCE:

The Honda Michelin Power Research Team scored the provisional pole position after the first Bol d’Or qualifying session this afternoon at Magny Cours. William Costes, Matthieu Lagrive and Josep Monge signed an average best lap in 1’41.562 and put the Honda Michelin on the first place on the provisional starting grid.

However, the best single lap time of this first qualifying session is signed by Gwen Giabbani on Yamaha Austria Racing Team, in 1’40.900. Gwen Giabbani is the only rider to lap below the 1’41 bar. When it comes to the average lap time of the team, the YART, who is also racing on Michelin, takes the second position with Igor Jerman and Steve Martin, ahead of the Yamaha France GMT 94 with Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon and David Checa, and the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team of Vincent Philippe, Freddy Foray and Olivier Four.

The Team GSR Kawasaki, who did a great performance during the free practice, has been delayed by a small crash from Kenny Noyes and gets the fifth place. On the other hand, the Honda National Motos (Emeric Jonchière, Sébastien Scarnato and Lucas de Carolis) did a good job and is in the right pace, ahead of the Suzuki Junior Team, seventh and first in the Superstock class, ahead of the Kawasaki Maccio Racing, tenth, and the Qatar Endurance Racing Team, seventeenth.

Two other permanent teams are in the top ten, the BK Maco Moto Racing Team with a Yamaha ridden by Dani Ribalta Jason Pridmore and Joshua Hayes, and the Suzuki RT Racing Team of Jean-Louis Devoyon, David Morillon and Frédéric Jond. They will try to secure their second place at the championship.

This 73rd Bol d’Or is another opportunity to see Warwick Nowland back on track. The Australian rider got a ride on the German Honda RMT 21 Racing Germany, who is in sixteenth place after this qualifying session. The second qualifying session will take place tomorrow morning.