Source: FIM

Three different manufacturers and three different tyre brands make up the top three placings in the race for provisional pole at the Bol d’Or 24 Hour event in Magny-Cours.

The Dunlop-shod factory Honda effort overcame engine problems in the morning practice session to rebound with the fastest time in the first qualifier.

The British-run squad, comprised of Julien Da Costa, Freddy Foray, and Sebastien Gimbert, set an average lap time of 1m40.802, just 0.007 seconds clear of their closest competition. Aussie Jason O’Halloran remains in reserve for the number 111 Fireblade should he be required.

Gregory LeBlanc, Mathieu Lagrive and Nicolas Salchaud slotted the SRC Kawasaki into second on Pirelli rubber, with the Yamaha Racing GMT94 Michelin team of David Checa, Kenny Foray and Mathieu Gines 0.328 seconds shy in third.

The powerhouse Suzuki Endurance Racing Team was fourth-fastest, though their average lap times saw them 1.154 seconds off the initial pace of the Honda team. Like O’Halloran, Australia’s Damian Cudlin waits in the wings for the Suzuki team as its reserve rider.

A top effort from the Junior Team LMS Suzuki squad sees it round out the top five, the first Superstock team home amongst a host of Endurance World Championship-spec machines.

Wayne Maxwell was the fastest of the Aussie riders on track, steering the Monster Energy Yamaha Austria R1 to eighth quickest in the early stages with a 1m41.632 lap. Teammate Rick Olson made a solid endurance event debut with second-quickest in the three-man squad.

Alex Cudlin lapped three-tenths shy of Maxwell’s time as the second-fastest Aussie, assisting the QMMF Racing Team Superstock effort to ninth outright.

Other Australian riders in the mix included Gareth Jones (Team R2CL) in 14th place, and late inclusion Bryan Staring (Team Traqueur Louit Moto 33) in 15th.

A second and final qualifying session will follow tomorrow however with rain scheduled the initial times are likely to stand and determine the grid for the 24-hour marathon.

A total of 46 bikes are scheduled for a start in the 78th running of the Bol d’Or 24 Hour.

2014 Endurance World Championship
Round one – Bol d’Or 24 Hour, Magny-Cours

Qualifying one results:
1. Honda Racing (Julien DA COSTA, Freddy FORAY, Sébastien GIMBERT) 1m40.802
2. SRC Kawasaki (Gregory LEBLANC, Mathieu LAGRIVE, Nicolas SALCHAUD) 1m40.809
3. Yamaha Racing – GMT 94 – Michelin (David CHECA, Kenny FORAY, Mathieu GINES) 1m40.919
4. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (Vincent PHILIPPE, Anthony DELHALLE, Erwan NIGON) 1m41.130
5. Junior Team LMS Suzuki (Baptiste GUITTET, Etienne MASSON, Gregg BLACK) 1m41.956
6. National Motos (Arturo TIZON, Olivier FOUR, Grégory JUNOD) 1m42.014
7. Team Bolliger Switzerland (Horst SAIGER, Roman STAMM, Daniel SUTTER) 1m42.317
8. Monster Energy Yamaha – YART (Wayne MAXWELL, Rick OLSON, Igor JERMAN) 1m42.370
9. Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team (Jason PRIDMORE, Pedro VALLCANERAS, Bastien MACKELS) 1m42.602
10. Hall Motos 02 (Cédric TANGRE, Camille HEDELIN, Luca DE CAROLIS) 1m42.891
11. Qatar Endurance Racing Team (Alexander CUDLIN, Mashel AL NAIMI, Nina PRINZ) 1m42.935
14. Team R2CL (Gareth JONES, Guy MARTIN, Gwen GIABBANI) 1m43.113
15. Team Traqueur Louit Moto 33 (David PERRET, Hugo MARCHAND, Bryan STARING) 1m43.195