Image: Supplied.

Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) has opened the 2019/2020 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) by securing victory in a weather-affected Bol d’Or 24 Hours in France.

The 83rd Bol d’Or will go down in the history books as a highly unusual race, as heavy rainfall forced the race to be interrupted from 6pm on Saturday to 6am on Sunday.

Three hours after the race had resumed on a quickly drying track, leader F.C.C. TSR Honda France, which included Australian Josh Hook, suffered an engine failure that shook the fight for the lead.

Loris Baz, in the saddle of the YART Yamaha bike and Webike SRC Kawasaki France’s Erwan Nigon, both hot on the Honda’s heels, were caught unaware by an oil spill. The riders’ minor crashes forced the two factory teams to withdraw, as their bikes had caught fire.

The exit of these factory teams opened the way for Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, who took the lead and managed to clinch victory over Wojcik Racing Team and BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, who inherited third after ERC Endurance Team was found to have a non-compliant fuel tank capacity in a post-race inspection.

The next stop of EWC is scheduled for 14 December at Sepand International Circuit in Malaysia.

Detailed results