Dunlop prepares for championship contention at the Bol d’Or

Dunlop is ready for an exciting FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) season finale at Circuit Paul Ricard, where it will be supporting top teams in the Formula EWC class and Dunlop-exclusive Superstock class as they compete for the race win and championship titles.

The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, currently positioned third in the FIM EWC standings, aims to build on its position in the season’s closing round with the mathematical possibility of becoming champions. Having started on pole position in last year’s race, the team, consisting of Markus Reiterberger, Ilya Mykhalchyk and Jeremy Guarnoni, is determined to guide the BMW M 1000 RR to victory in this year’s Bol d’Or.

The Maco Racing team is in a fierce battle to secure a spot within the top ten rankings in the FIM EWC standings. The riders, Enzo Boulom, Martin Vugrinec, and Balints Kovacs, are fully prepared to push the Yamaha YZF-R1 to its limits. 

Meanwhile, the KM99 team is aiming for a top-ten championship position in its first season of competition with riders Bastien Mackels, Florian Marino and Lucas Mahias. All three Dunlop teams competing for outright honours have access to a range of high-performance Dunlop slick racing tires from the KR109 and KR108 families that will help them perform at their best.

In the Superstock category, Dunlop offers exclusive tire support to all 29 teams, providing them with a selection of KR racing slicks similar to those used by the FIM EWC top-class riders. 

Last season’s Bol d’Or Superstock winner, the Chromeburner-RAC41-Honda, aims to capitalise on its championship lead within the Superstock Championship on home ground. Chris Leesch, Jonathan Hardt and Wayne Tessels will be locked in with a fierce battle with the runner-up, the No Limits Honda, and the No. 55 National Motos Honda, which is eager to secure a podium finish to round out the season following its victory at the 24H Spa.

David Auerbacher, Dunlop EWC event leader: “Circuit Paul Ricard is a challenging, but rewarding circuit, so we are looking forward to the action that awaits us at the season finale. All the Dunlop teams will have access to a range of front and rear tire options that will help them optimise their single-lap performance as well as their strategies over a longer distance, allowing them to deliver peak performance and be competitive through it all.”

The FIM Endurance World Cup for Teams and Dunlop Superstock Trophy titles are still up for grabs for over 10 teams as 85 points are at stake at this year’s season finale, setting the stage for an intense competition.

Auerbacher adds: “The fact that more than 10 teams are competing for the titles highlights the outstanding quality of the field and the intense battle for the championship that lies ahead. This competition will serve as a strong motivation for manufacturers, teams and riders to extract the maximum performance from their tires to secure as many points as possible. The championship’s conclusion in the Superstock category promises to be equally exhilarating and fiercely competitive and the range of KR racing slicks will help the teams perform at their best, regardless of if they are looking for traction or speed.”

This year’s 24-hour Bol d’Or race will start on 16 September at 15:00 local time, following free practice and qualifying sessions on Thursday and Friday.