Michel Bonté, former sports reporter for local newspaper Le Maine Libre and author of a dozen works on the 24 Hours of Le Mans succumbed today to a long illness at the age of 68.
Bonté was a great connoisseur of motorsports and of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in particular; so much so that he became acknowledged as a historian of the great endurance race.

Thanks to his strong personality, natural inquisitiveness and distinctive writing, Bonté was a well-known figure among drivers, constructors, teams and of course, the management of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.

During his retirement, Bonté devoted his time to writing about his favourite sport. Among his works were a look back at the first Grand Prix de France with Jean-Luc Ribemon, a history of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, again with Ribemon and François Hurel, a reference work on the tragic accident of 1955 and a book on Porsche at Le Mans.

Bonté was passionate about local people and their involvement in endurance racing and a great admirer of their tenacity and stamina. He wrote Les 72 au départ in celebration of the people of Le Mans and La Sarthe and of course, the pioneering members of the Bollée family also feature in his works.

Fittingly, Michel Bonté lived on the Mulsanne Straight. He leaves us with fond memories of a passionate and inspiring fan of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.