This week-end of 10-20 September 2015 marks the return of the famous Endurance 24-hour event – the Bol d’Or started in 1922 - at the Paul Ricard circuit – located in the south of France, between Marseille and Toulon. The Bol d’Or was already organized on this famous track from 1978 to 1999. After fifteen years during which it was held in Magny-Cours, the event is back on the circuit which hosted its most successful period.
Always welcoming a huge number of fans – a big part of them being motorcyclists, taking advantage of a (generally) fair weather, the Paul Ricard (name of its founder and first owner) circuit hosted its first Endurance event on 16 and 17 September 1978 (photo of the start of the race). The pole position was made by riders Patrick Pons and Christian Sarron on the 750 OW31 Sonauto-Yamaha, a challenge for this very powerful two-stroke machine. As from the second lap until almost 17 hours in the lead, the ride came to an end, broken crankshaft, and the victory went to Jean-Claude Chemarin and Christian Leon on the factory RCB 1000 Honda, who took their third consecutive European Championship title.
Marc Pétrier