The 24-hour Bol d’Or finishes ahead of time for the team, but Krummenacher showcases his skills
The historic and spectacular Bol d’Or 24-hour endurance race took place last weekend at the Paul Ricard circuit in Le Castellet, France.
Called upon to compete for Tati Team Beringer Racing, Randy Krummenacher did not hesitate to dive into this new experience aboard the Kawasaki ZX-10R. Joining him on track in the colours of the French team were riders Hugo Clere and Baptiste Guittet.
Krummenacher was tasked with starting this edition of the Bol d’Or from ninth on the grid, as a result of the qualifying times.
The Swiss rider was quick to demonstrate his speed, moving up into the front group during his initial stint. Tenth at the end of the first hour, the team was lying eighth after two hours, fifth after seven hours and positioned as high as fourth after eighteen hours when, during a stint that French rider Clere had begun at 10:00, the bike suffered engine problems that forced Tati Team Beringer Racing to retire. A real disappointment for the riders, mechanics, technicians and everyone involved in this feat that could well have brought a strong result, considering how things were going up until that point.
#RK: “It’s been an amazing experience, so much emotion, life at its purest, professional people who are fans of real motorcycling, the fans, the sharing, the support… An experience I’ll never forget.
I’d never taken part in an endurance race before and I was curious and keen to do so, but what I gained in terms of emotion and satisfaction far exceeded my expectations.
The team decided that I should start the race, and this made it all the more exciting. Everything was new to me but despite that, I was able to move straight into the front group. My first stint ended at 15:47 and I handed over to Hugo (Clere). We were doing really well. The night was tough but a real experience too. My wife helped with everything, preparing the helmets, suits, having food ready at the right time, supporting me mentally and ensuring that everything went as it should, and so I was able to get into the right rhythm right away and be well prepared for my next stint.
Having survived the night, we were starting to feel as if we were heading into the final stages. I finished my stint at 10:00 on Sunday morning and again handed the bike to my team-mate Hugo Clere but after a few more laps, I could see on the monitor that there was a problem. The bike was smoking and once in the hands of the mechanics, we realised the engine was broken and couldn’t be repaired. This was a real blow for us all because these races are incredibly intense, but they also really bring everyone who is working on the bike and supporting us together.
A real pity, but this too is racing, it happens and this time it happened to us. I’m nevertheless very pleased that I took part, because it has opened my eyes to a new and interesting world.
I want to thank Tati Team Beringer Racing, my team-mates, Hugo Clere and Baptiste Guittet, the sponsors, our supporters and everyone involved in this absolutely positive experience.”
