Elf Marc VDS Racing Team / KM99 Ends Its Season at Paul Ricard on a Bitter Note

Bol d'Or, Le Castellet (France) – September 20, 2026

The Elf Marc VDS Racing Team / KM99 leaves the Circuit Paul Ricard with a great deal of frustration following a Bol d'Or that had appeared to be perfectly under control. After a trouble-free week and steady progress throughout the various sessions, the #99 Yamaha had everything in place to secure an excellent result in the final round of the FIM Endurance World Championship.

Aware that it was slightly lacking engine power compared to some of its rivals on the long straights of the Circuit Paul Ricard, the team had nevertheless demonstrated a competitive overall package throughout the week.

The #99 Yamaha ultimately qualified P9 on the starting grid, with Randy de Puniet entrusted with taking the start of the 24-hour race.

From the very first laps, all three riders delivered an exemplary race. Randy de Puniet, Florian Marino and Bo Bendsneyder put together a succession of consistent and strong stints without making a single mistake. For Bo, who was discovering the Circuit Paul Ricard and competing in his very first 24-hour race, the performance was particularly impressive.

After eight hours of racing, the team was running in P6, and by sunrise, the #99 Yamaha had gained another place to move up to P5.

The race was unfolding perfectly according to the team's plan and strategy, with the #99 Yamaha eventually moving into P4 with just three and a half hours remaining.

With everything in place to secure a top result, fate unfortunately had other plans. Just over two hours before the chequered flag, Florian Marino, who was running in P4 aboard the #99 Yamaha, was forced to bring the bike back to the pits after a technical issue resulted in an oil leak.

Although the cause of the problem was quickly identified and repaired, the team made the decision not to send the bike back onto the track, with the safety of its three riders and the other competitors remaining the absolute priority.

It was a difficult decision for a team that had been on course for its best result of the season.

Gaëtan Schyns, Team Owner:

"The whole team is obviously extremely disappointed with this outcome. We had put together a fantastic race up until this incident, and P4 was within our reach. It would have been a wonderful tribute to Marc. But safety always comes first, and we could not take any risks by putting the bike back on track after the issue we had encountered."

Mario Kupper, Team Manager:

"The whole team and the riders did a fantastic job throughout the entire week. Everything was going perfectly until our bad luck struck again. We did exactly what we needed to do, and we were still running P4 with just over two hours remaining. It is obviously extremely frustrating. I think we are all happy to see the end of 2026, a year that really did not smile on us, either from a sporting or a human perspective."

This final round brings a particularly challenging 2026 season to a close for the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team / KM99. Despite the difficulties encountered throughout the year, the team once again demonstrated its ability to fight at the sharp end of the field and remain united through the most difficult moments.

The Elf Marc VDS Racing Team / KM99 would like to warmly thank all of its riders, mechanics, engineers, partners and supporters for their unwavering commitment throughout the season.

Contacts :
Gaetan SCHYNS, Team Owner : gaetan@km99.be
Mario KUPPER, Team Manager: mario@km99.be
Dario SCHYNS, Communication & RS: dario@km99.be