Two bikes launching onto the 1.8-kilometer (1.1-mile) Mistral straight on the back of the Paul Ricard circuit. To put this into perspective, the Mistral is more than twice as long as the front straight at Willow Springs International Raceway, and the fastest EWC motorcycles exceeded 215 mph there in qualifying. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Copyright 2021, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
By Michael Gougis
The 2021 edition of the Bol d’Or 24-Hour race, first staged in 1922, was held at the Paul Ricard HTTT (High Tech Test Track) in southern France last weekend. Here are some photos.
Aided by a Bridgestone qualifying tire to help fire onto the back straight, Yoshimura SERT Motul’s GSX-R1000R touched 355 kph (220.587 mph) on the Mistral straight in qualifying, took pole position and led early. Photo by Michael Gougis.
BMW’s EWC machine (37), based on its M1000RR, was quick but struggled early, dropping to eighth shortly after the start. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Ducati (6) jumped into EWC competition with a Superbike-based racebike, built in the race shop in Borgo Panigale and managed at the track by a factory electronics engineer whose riders have won in World Superbike. Photo by Michael Gougis.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France (5) topped the practice sessions and ran with the leaders early. Photo by Michael Gougis.
With bikes in position for the start, fans flooded the front straight prior to the race. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Retired after leading Suzuki Endurance Racing Team to 15 Endurance World Championships but unable to stay away from the circuits, Dominique Meliand remains a revered figure in the sport, mobbed for selfies on the grid. Photo by Michael Gougis.
YART, Yamaha’s factory team in the EWC, ran with the company’s special livery celebrating 60 years in Grand Prix racing. Photo by Michael Gougis.
One of the support races over the weekend was the two-heat Bol d’Or Classic, which ran its first two-hour leg on Friday night and the second during the daylight hours on Saturday morning. The race featured historic endurance racebikes like this Honda RC30. Photo by Michael Gougis.
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