Source: Supplied.

The Bol d’Or’s return to the Paul Ricard circuit proved to be a real crowd-pleaser as the SRC Kawasaki team won the race, while Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) was crowned FIM Endurance World Champion.

Battling the GMT 94 Yamaha for the world title, SERT’s hopes were boosted when David Checa crashed on the very first lap. After some excruciatingly long minutes in the pit box, the reigning world champion went back on circuit four laps behind the leaders.

GMT 94 Yamaha began a fantastic fight back and so did another podium candidate, BMW Motorrad France Team Penz 13.com, which had also experienced a delay. Team Bolliger Switzerland’s Kawasaki, for its part, was forced to retire after Nicolas Salchaud fell.

Another of the night’s victims was the Monster Energy Yamaha Yamaha Austria Racing Team of Australian Broc Parkes, which suffered engine failure around 5:00am when it was in third place.

Meanwhile, Honda Racing Team, which had taken the lead in the second hour of the race, was fighting it out with SERT and SRC Kawasaki, with all three teams alternately in the top spot. But 11 hours into the race, around 2:00am, SERT lost its lead because of a rear wheel axle problem and conceded nearly eight laps to the leader, Honda Endurance Racing.

By dawn the BMW Motorrad France Team Penz 13 bike had climbed to third place and the GMT 94 Yamaha was steadily working its way back up. At around 10:00am, BMW Motorrad France Team Penz 13 fell victim to a broken chain and lost all hope of the podium. A few minutes later the Honda team machine returned to the pits with overheating problems, as a result of which it was retired.

Four hours from the finish line, the podium suddenly looked obvious – SRC Kawasaki, GMT94 Yamaha and SERT. Those positions were firming up and Kawasaki was out to win. GMT 94 Yamaha was unable to catch up with the Kawasaki in the lead and settled for a podium place.

The Superstock bikes racing the Bol d’Or were also competing for the FIM World Cup. Suzuki du Junior Team LMS was heading the provisional classification but was forced to retire after an overheating problem. This cleared the way for the runner-up, Team Traqueur Louit Moto 33, which placed fifth overall and second in the Stocksport class to win the Superstock World Cup.

2015 Endurance World Championship
Round four – Paul Ricard, France

Bol d’Or 24 Hours results:
1. SRC Kawasaki 684 laps
2. GMT94 Yamaha 682
3. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team 677
4. Tati Team Beaujolais Racing Kawasaki 673
5. Team Traquer Louit Moto 33 Kawasaki 672
6. BMW Motorrad France Team Penz13 669
7. Volpker NRT48 Penz13 by Schubert BMW 668
8. Team 3ART Yam’Avenue Yamaha 664
9. Atomic 68 Suzuki 662
10. Team April Moto Motors Events Suzuki 660

Championship standings:
1. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team 154
2. GMT94 Yamaha 132
3. SRC Kawasaki 100
4. BMW Motorrad France Team Penz13 71
5. Team Traquer Louit Moto 33 Kawasaki 68
6. Team Bolliger Switzerland Kawasaki 55
7. Junior Team Le Mans SUD Suzuki 54
8. Tati Team Beaujolais Racing Kawasaki 53
9. Honda Endurance Racing 50
10. Monster Energy Yamaha Austria Racing Team 41

Click here for detailed results