Joe Akroyd is set for his second Bol d’Or start, one year on from his comeback to the FIM Endurance World Championship after a stint commentating on the series for British Eurosport.
An Isle of Man TT racer in the past, Akroyd, who made his Bol d’Or debut in 2021, didn’t race in 2022 or 2023 but returned to the track for last September’s Bol d’Or with the Metiss team, albeit as a reserve rider.
After racing in April’s 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans with ADSS 97, Akroyd will continue with the British Kawasaki-powered outfit for the EWC season-deciding Bol d’Or alongside former FIM Endurance World Cup title holder Stefan Hill, experienced racer Chris Platt and World Superbike race winner Chris Walker.
“The EWC has always been a paddock I want to be in, and having commentated on the EWC for Eurosport, I like the feeling of working as a team and that’s something that really appeals about the EWC,” Akroyd said.
“I knew I wasn’t coming here to race last year [as the fourth rider] but it was so frustrating not to make the race and having to watch. The reality of that was hard to deal with so I knew I needed to be racing and the opportunity to race for ADSS 97 at Le Mans presented itself and I just slotted in really.
“It’s sometimes a pinch-yourself-moment when you find out your team-mate is Chris Walker, somebody you’ve watched growing up as a kid, a childhood hero. And the team structure is brilliant, such a good place to be. It’s race hard but have fun doing it.”
Of his hopes for the Bol d’Or, Akroyd said: “Realistically we want to be running around seventh or eighth in class, if we can, and then it’s just about consistency. We need our pitstops to be clean, we need to work well and keep out of trouble. The lads in the team are doing an amazing job but in endurance racing anything can happen.”
ADSS 97 is set to start the Bol d’Or in 20th position among the Dunlop-equipped Superstock contenders in 35th overall.
Original Source [ FIM EWC ]
