Michael Dunlop and Team LRP Poland 14th in qualifying on BMW M1000RR for iconic Le Mans 24-Hours race
Michael Dunlop and Team LRP Poland qualified 14th overall for the famous Le Mans 24-Hours race in France.
Isle of Man TT legend Dunlop joined Danny Webb, Enzo Boulom and Marek Szkopek on the BMW M1000RR machine during practice, qualifying and night qualifying at Circuit Bugatti.
The iconic race is the opening round of the FIM Endurance World Championship and will give Dunlop some valuable track time as he prepares for the first major road race of the season at the North West 200 next month before he returns to the TT, where he broke his uncle Joey’s record of 26 victories last year to set a new benchmark of 29 wins.
Dunlop’s team were 11th overall in the headline EWC category.
Last year, he finished 16th overall and seventh in the Superstock class at Le Mans for the French TR27 team on a Honda Fireblade.
The 36-year-old has been linked with a return to BMW machinery this year after two seasons competing on 1000cc Honda machinery.
Speaking ahead of the event, Dunlop said he was confident a good result was possible on the BMW.
“It’s a tough race but it’s a good event and come race day the atmosphere is mental,” he said.
“Le Mans really is a big-hitter, it’s a race everybody talks about and I don’t see why I can’t do well.
“I’ve got good team-mates, but the problem with Le Mans is you can think all you want but when you come here it really is a lottery.”
Pole at Le Mans went to the Yamalube YART Yamaha team after German rider Marvin Fritz set a new lap record in 1m 34.489s, edging out the Yoshimura SERT Suzuki squad.
Fritz’s time came half-a-hour after Yoshimura SERT’s Gregg Black had beaten Niccolò Canepa’s 2024 benchmark with a lap in 1m34.551s, setting the scene for an anticipated battle for the spoils between the two teams on Saturday.
“It’s amazing of course, first race of the year and first pole position of the year,” said Fritz.
“But the team did an amazing job, the bike worked great and all of us could make this lap time or even faster. But I’m super-happy about the feeling of the bike, this is the most important for the race tomorrow.”
The 2025 Le Mans 24-Hours race is scheduled to start at 1400 BST on Saturday.