The 2024 season is launched and the Akrapovic SuperPole makes its return to the MotoZ FIM SuperEnduro World Championship. And guess… Billy BOLT (GBR-Husqvarna) has won the first round of the year. He beat the other 6 best riders who qualified for this first confrontation.
The Swede Eddie KARLSSON (Husqvarna) ranks 7th in the session. The Nordic rider is making his comeback in the world championship after leaving it following a spectacular crash during the Budapest round, last year. Always so generous with the throttle, KARLSSON gets trapped in the stone section. He will not even cross the finish line by returning directly to the paddock. Ahead of him the 2023 Junior World Champion, the young British racer Mitch BRIGHTMORE who is discovering the SuperPole exercise. He is the first to set a reference time with a 42.545 ! Sixth in qualifying, the GASGAS rider admits not being comfortable on fast tracks like the one of Liévin. There is no doubt that the Briton will be back in Superpole again this winter. Qualified thanks to his 2nd time in timed practice, Will HOARE (GBR-Beta) made a small error coming out of the stones which cost him a better time (42.416). The Briton will nevertheless have a great evening by finishing 3rd in the 2024 French GP. Manuel LETTENBICHLER (GER-KTM) is also a returner in SuperEnduro. The multiple Hard Enduro world champion makes his comeback after missing two seasons. Fourth time in this session in 41.931, the KTM official is making his mark in a very different exercise for the boss of outdoor races. He is ahead of the new Rieju rider, the Pole Dominik OLSZOWY. Not totally focused, he fell during his warm-up lap. The 2022 Junior champion pulls himself together as he temporarily takes the lead in the Superpole with a good time of 41.621. He is ahead of Jonny WALKER (GBR-Beta) who is the first rider to go under 40 seconds per lap. With a 39.845, the private rider is only surpassed by the unbeatable Billy BOLT. Still undefeated for two seasons, BOLT's winning streak in SuperPole Akrapovic continues. He wins with an impressive 39.046 and proves once again that whatever the terrain, he likes to impose his Husqvarna in this very special exercise.
The next round of the season is scheduled in a few weeks in Krakow for the Polish GP, on December 9.
Provisional Standing: 1. Billy BOLT 3pts; 2. Jonny WALKER 2pts; 3. Dominik OLSZOWY 1pt...
