21st November 2005

News: Bruno Bonhuil

Bruno Bonhuil Tragic News - Endurance Riders Pull Out of Macau - Tributes Flood In for Popular Racer...

Bruno Bonhuil - former World Endurance champion and stalwart of the endurance, TT and French championship paddocks - was killed during Saturday morning's warm-up session for the Macau Grand Prix. He appeared to lose the front end of his bike on Mandarin, the fastest corner of the track.

As a mark of respect to Bruno, the World Endurance Championship riders entered at Macau pulled out of the race.

Bruno's twenty year racing career took in 500cc and 250cc Grand Prix, World Superbikes, the TT and victories at the Le Mans 24 hour race, the Spa 24 Heures de Liege and the Bol d'Or 24 hour race. He won the World Endurance Championship with Zongshen Team of China in 2002, and had gone on to look after the Zongshen 250 Grand Prix riders and to create the HB Performance Riding School with former fellow competitor Christian Hacquin.

Bruno revelled in the competition of road circuits such as Macau and the TT, telling friends, "I prefer to live intensively for my passion, rather than to die in front of a small fire in my armchair."

Tributes to Bruno have flooded into websites around the world. We have included some of them below.

Michel Marqueton, team manager of Zongshen Team of China: "Bruno was a real 'type'; someone we could all learn a lesson from; I will never forget his professionalism and his cheerfulness. Here in China, many people will speak of him for a long time to come, and I hope many young riders will build their careers as Bruno did, with will power, courage and hard work."

Christophe Guyot, endurance rider and team manager: "Bruno and I never worked together, although we both wanted to. He was one of those people who have a great life, punctuated by passion, victory, energy."

Bertrand Stey, endurance rider: "Bruno who was a model for me. I will never forget his sympathy, his joy in life, his motivation and his desire to always go further to live his passion... our passion."

Clive McNeil, Eurosport's voice of Endurance: "Bruno was one of the first riders I got to know in the World Endurance paddock. I was in awe of him, remembering his battles while he was racing in World Superbikes. Bruno loved the life of a bike racer and I couldn't ever imagine him stopping. It feels as if a part of me has been cut away. You know, I never saw him NOT smiling."

Ray Johnston, former Macau GP and World Endurance rider: "It was a nasty shock this morning, checking out the Macau results on teletext to find the tragic news of Bruno's death. I found this picture that I took at Macau in 2000. It sums up Bruno's approach to racing. Five minutes before qualifying; everyone else getting "into the zone" and he's nervelessly messing about with a fireman's hat! He insisted that I take his e mail address and send it to him later.

Jacques Bolle, Vice-President of the F.F.M: "Bruno brought a lot to the sport of French motorcycling over more than twenty years. He had decided to continue to live intensively; his own choice. We already miss his good humour and enthusiasm.

Nick Jeffries, TT rider: "I am devastated to hear the news today of Bruno's death. I have many happy memories of racing in the Isle of man with him. I shall miss him. My sympathies to his wife and family."

Marianne Lefebvre: "He was friend, a pal of everyone who has gone to the motorcyclists paradise. We will treasure the memory of his smile and - particularly for me - the memory of his suberb victory at the 24 Heures de Liege. Bye, bye, Bruno!"

Read more tributes here: www.bike70.com/BBhommages.htm

Bruno will be sadly missed, and our thoughts are with Nathalie, Lulu, Brigitte and all of his family and friends.

Bruno Bonhuil. 3rd January 1960 - 19th November 2005

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