The factory Suzuki team dominated the second qualifying session and set a new record on the Paul Ricard circuit. Yoshimura SERT Motul were ahead of YART–Yamaha Official EWC Team and BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. In Superstock, Team 18 Sapeurs-Pompiers CMS Motostore took the lead.
A record was broken during the second qualifying session, which was held on a dry track this morning. Xavier Simeon posted a new fastest lap, a 1:52.374. The Yoshimura SERT Motul rider wiped out the record set during the test in early September (1:52.484) and smashed the best time posted in qualifying during the 2019 edition (1:53.408).
In the saddle of the factory Suzuki, Sylvain Guintoli also came in under the 1:53 mark, and Gregg Black was not far behind. The riders’ consistency enabled them to take pole position with a 1:52.772 lap and pocket the 5 points awarded to the pole sitter.
The Suzuki – the reigning champion – will take first place on the grid ahead of YART–Yamaha Official EWC Team.
In the saddle of the Austrian Yamaha, Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz and Karel Hanika were also very consistent. All three were practically within the same tenth of a second.
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, who are third on the starting grid, did not field Javier Forés, who was injured yesterday. But the Belgian factory team can count on their back-up rider Kenny Foray to shore up Markus Reiterberger and Ilya Mikhalchik.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France will start from 4th ahead of VRD Igol Experiences. The Yamaha-mounted independent team were discreet but efficient, confirming their high level of performance and their ambition to be on the Bol d’Or podium.
VRD Igol Experiences are ahead of two factory teams on the starting grid: Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar and ERC Endurance-Ducati.
A crash involving Sébastien Suchet this morning slowed the progress of Tati Team Beringer Racing (Kawasaki) who are 8th ahead of two Polish teams, Team LRP Poland and Wójcik Racing Team.
Moto Ain are 11th on the grid and will have to take Randy de Puniet’s injury during free practice into account. He is still expected to race however with Robin Mulhauser and Roberto Rolfo.
Superstocks in the Top15
In Superstock, Team 18 Sapeurs-Pompiers CMS Motostore (Yamaha) will start from 12th on the grid but have had to rejig their line-up with Hugo Clère as the main rider. Axel Maurin, was injured during the night test and will be replaced by Johan Nigon. Bastien Mackels was injured in qualifying this morning and will not be racing.
Superstock teams occupy the 12th to 15th place. Behind Team 18 Sapeurs-Pompiers CMS Motostore are BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers (Kawasaki), National Motos (Honda) and RAC41 ChromeBurner (Honda), in that order.
Visit the official Endurance World Championship website fimewc.com
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