The penultimate round of the FIM World Endurance Championship brings the teams and riders to Germany and the nearly 2.3 mile layout of the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, for what will be the final eight hour race of the 2012 campaign. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team is at the top of the points table. But, as we've seen in other races, they are still vulnerable. They haven't run a race (even if they've won it) without some kind of problem setting in. There are still two rounds to go in the championship including this one. So, anything and everything can still happen.
There are about four teams mathematically capable of winning the title. SERT, BMW Motorrad France, Honda TT Legends, and YART might be the four. But, Yamaha GMT 94 could also have a chance. This is the first time a race has been run for the FIM World Endurance Championship at Oschersleben in two years. SERT is on pole with Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle and Yukio Kagayama on the riding team. In qualifying, four teams were within a second of each other on the time sheets. There are three classes for this race. Endurance World Championship, Super Stock, and Open.
At the start, SERT takes the race lead. Vincent Philippe gets a good getaway, inheriting the lead. But, two laps in, there's a wreck already. The star crossed MCP Starteam 67 Suzuki GSXR1000 in Super Stock, crashes. Sharing that bike is the duo of Claude Lucas and Jonathan Hardt. Lucas is the one to ditch the bike. This incident brings out the safety car. In the opening stanza, it's SERT vs. YART. Vincent Philippe holds off a determined Katsuyuki Nakasuga. Fortunately, after the incident, the #67 bike gets repaired, and the Lucas/Hardt team are back at it, able to continue. They are, however, relegated to last place in the field.
Team manager Patrice Meynle points out that there was a fire after the crash. The battle is on between BMW Motorrad France and Honda TT Legends with Cameron Donald, Jason O'Halloran, and John McGuinness sharing their CBR1000RR once more. Honda TT Legends runs fourth overall, a lap behind the leaders from SERT. The top three now is Suzuki, BMW, Yamaha as Yamaha GMT 94 make their way to the front, running third overall. Yamaha GMT 94 pits.
They have drafted in Gwen Giabbani as a third rider to partner with David Checa and Kenny Foray. Another wreck occurs in the second hour. It's Team Bolliger Kawasaki and the #8 bike with riders Horst Saiger, Roman Stamm, and Jerome Tangre. Anthony West was also caught up in this melee on the #95 Qatar Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000 he shares with Nina Prinz and Nasser Al Malki, in the Superstock division. This wreck brings out the safety car for the first time.
Both Bolliger and QERT have their bikes in the garage for repairs. QERT team coordinator Pere Llorens says the two riders touched each other, just trying to go into a corner. The safety car is withdrawn and the race is back under green flag conditions. The battle continues between SERT and YART with Philippe and Nakasuga still on board the bikes for their respective teams. Nakasuga sharing with Steve Martin and Igor Jerman. But, there's more trouble for YART. Just like at Suzuka, seemingly without warning, Nakasuga throws it away, falling off the motorcycle!
The trouble is that Katsuyuki Nakasuga pushes too hard in his quest to go fast and keep up the pace, and then, makes a major mistake in the process. YART plummets down the order to sixteenth in the overall. Fortunately, Nakasuga is able to continue in the race. One has to wonder what team mates Steve Martin and Igor Jerman, think. This promotes Honda TT Legends who are preparing for a pit stop. SERT, also makes a scheduled stop. SERT continues in the lead while Honda TT Legends has a slightly slower stop. BMW Motorrad France is now up to second with their trio of riders including Damien Cudlin, Erwan Nigon, and Sebastien Gimbert.
The #99 bike comes to pit lane after inheriting that spot. Tires and riders are changed, and fuel is put in the motorcycle. It looks like YART is coming back out on track, bringing the bike out of the garage, refueling, and changing riders. The 3D Endurance Moto Center bike #24 is running well in the Super Stock division, with the trio of Valentin Debise, Remy Echard, and Gregory di Carlo, aboard their Kawasaki ZX10R. They're closely followed in class by the #50 Team Motors Events AMT Assurances Suzuki GSXR1000 of riders Baptiste Guittet, Michael Savary, and Guillaume Dietrich.
Also in the pits, in the Endurance World Championship class is bike #55 for the two rider squad representing Union/Lilja Racing. Their BMW S1000RR is being ridden by the duo of Tom North and Andres Lilja. Here are the overall standings after the two hour mark.
1. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Philippe/Delhalle/Kagayama
2. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France Thevent BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Cudlin/Nigon
3. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha R1
Checa/Foray/Giabbani
4. EWC #77 Honda TT Legends Honda CBR1000RR
Donald/McGuinness/O'Halloran
5. SST #24 3D Endurance Moto Center Kawasaki ZX10R
Debise/Echard/Di Carlo
6. SST #50 Team Motors Events AMT Assurances Suzuki GSXR1000
Guittet/Savary/Dietrich
7. SST #110 AM Moto Racing Competition Suzuki GSXR1000
Loiseau/Masson/Maitre
8. EWC #4 Yamalube Folch Endurance Yamaha R1
Ribalta/Tizon
9. SST #31 Motoracing Parts Endurance/Penz 13 BMW S1000RR
Wildisen/Seidel/Stibilj
10. EWC #2 Team R2CL Suzuki GSXR1000
Chevaux/Buisson/Prulhiere
3D Endurance seems to have worked out some earlier issues as the #95 QERT bike makes a scheduled pit stop. Nina Prinz is off the bike and either Anthony West or Nasser Al Malki, will get on. The Superstock teams and riders really mix it up with the Endurance World Cup riders. 3D Endurance Moto Center is now fifth overall of course, right behind the four leading bikes in the EWC division. They are performing according to plan right now.
Team manager for 3D Endurance Moto Center, Herve Moineau acknowledges there is a long way to go, and his team will need to be careful throughout. Another Superstock team pits. This time it is the #9 DGSport Herock, Belgian Yamaha R1 shared by Didier van Keymeulen, Alex Cudlin, and Gianluca Vizziello who were at the last Euro round of the series at Magny Cours for the Bol D'or. They also ran in Qatar. Not sure if they were entered at the Suzuka 8 Hours.
Three hours are now in the books. So, the race is near it's halfway point. Bolliger Kawasaki are trying to recover spots after crashing earlier. Horst Saiger is booking it on track before he makes his pit stop. They hope to move into the top 15 overall, as either Roman Stamm or Jerome Tangre takes over. Not sure which other rider it is on the bike now. YART also makes a pit stop. They seem to be back in the race, but in contention to win it. They are 18th in the overall, after Nakasuga's crash. Honda TT Legends remains in the top four. But, another rider is down for the count.
This is the #13 Penz 13 BMW in Superstock shared by Pedro Vallcaneras, Michal Filla, and Gregory Fastre. Vallcaneras has to drag the bike back to it's garage to be repaired. SERT continues to lead, but, BMW Motorrad France is still hot on their heels. Rico Penzkofe, Penz 13 team manager, explains that they may lose position, but have been doing their best to stay in contention in class. Yamalube Folch Endurance pits. They are running two riders instead of three. Roberto Martinez isn't on the bike. It's just Daniel Ribalta and Arturo Tizon. This team is progressing through the field, hoping to earn their best result of the season.
Honda TT Legends makes another pit stop. They are well known for their pit work, and the Donald/McGuinness/O'Halloran bike is running up to par. Yamalube Folch Endurance exits the pits after slight problems for either Tizon or Ribalta in getting the bike restarted. BMW Motorrad France consolidates their second position in the overall. It remains to be seen if they'll catch SERT. BMW Motorrad France team manager Michael Bartholemy says that a second place is feasible and that pit stops will be consistent. No word on whether they can catch SERT.
Yamaha GMT 94 also pits. Team boss Christophe Guyot is optimistic. SERT comes in for a scheduled pit stop. BMW Motorrad France does likewise. SERT has been unbeatable up to this point in the race. The AM Moto bike of Loiseau, Masson, and Maitre, continues to lead in Super Stock. At the halfway mark, here are the standings (four hours are complete).
1. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Philippe/Delhalle/Kagayama
2. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France Thevent BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Cudlin/Nigon
3. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha R1
Checa/Foray/Giabbani
4. EWC #77 Honda TT Legends Honda CBR1000RR
Donald/McGuinness/O'Halloran
5. SST #24 3D Endurance Moto Center Kawasaki ZX10R
Debise/Echard/Di Carlo
6. SST #50 Team Motors Events AMT Assurances Suzuki GSXR1000
Guittet/Savary/Dietrich
7. SST #95 Qatar Endurance Racing Team (QERT) Suzuki GSXR1000
Al Malki/West/Prinz
8. SST #110 AM Moto Racing Competition Suzuki GSXR1000
Loiseau/Masson/Maitre
9. EWC #4 Yamalube Folch Endurance Yamaha R1
Ribalta/Tizon
10. SST #9 DG Sport Yamaha R1
van Keymeulen/Cudlin/Vizziello
The race is now into it's second half. The battle will be down to SERT and Yamaha GMT 94 who are separated by a single lap. BMW Motorrad France may have fallen a ways down the order. Dominique Meilland (SERT team manager) says that an additional fuel stop may be needed before the end of the race. SERT does just as they plan, and executes another perfect pit stop. Honda TT Legends are by no means out of this contest yet, either.
Folch Endurance maintains their ninth position in the overall, but have had a fraught event once again, having pit stop issues for the most part. The bike is brought in and dumped, in the pits, after hitting the crewman with the pit board sign! Ouch! Team manager Josep Folch explains that the problems started with a loose front brake. The bike fell, coming into the garage to get that problem fixed. Eventually, Ribalta and Tizon are back at it, salvaging what they can in terms of a finish.
Honda TT Legends is promoted when one of their competitors has problems. That is the #14 Maco Racing Team Yamaha R1 from Slovakia, with riders Gregory Junod, Gregg Black, and Lucas de Carolis. However, after halfway, the team retires with engine failure and a broken drive chain as explained by team manager, Bach Jakub. BMW Motorrad France is seemingly coming back into contention now. They stop in the pits once more. They still run in second overall. AM Moto Racing makes a mistake, forgetting to refuel their bike on a stop, forcing their rider to walk the bike back to the pits, eventually to the garage.
Mechanic Stephan Barbot, explains a pretty self explanatory situation. Forget to pit, run out of gas. Eventually, the #110 bike does get back on the raceway. Motors Event and 3D Endurance Moto still battle for honors in Super Stock. QERT makes a pit stop, but will not contend for the Superstock class win. Bolliger and QERT, had that earlier collision. Well, Bolliger is back at it, and they are moving back through the running order. Same goes for YART. They are coming back into contention, setting fast laps. All YART can hope for is to win the season finale at Le Mans to make their 2012 season sweeter than it has been.
DG Sport Herock pits their Yamaha. All seems pretty calm in this race, but, not for long. There's a two bike incident. It is a contretemps between R2CL and Penz 13 Kraftwerk Herpigny Racing. Not sure who was riding each bike at the time, but both riders seem to be limping just a bit. They're OK, but sore. The ambulance and medical team arrives to check them over and take the riders to either the medical center or the hospital if need be. RC2L's Suzuki is a total write off. This necessitates the second safety car deployment of the event.
Rider for Penz 13, Michal Sembera, and R2CL team manager Raphael Chausse, explain each team's view of the incident. Six hours down. Two remaining. The standings are:
1. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Philippe/Delhalle/Kagayama
2. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France Thevent BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Cudlin/Nigon
3. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha R1
Checa/Foray/Giabbani
4. EWC #77 Honda TT Legends Honda CBR1000RR
Donald/McGuinness/O'Halloran
5. SST #24 3D Endurance Moto Center Kawasaki ZX10R
Debise/Echard/Di Carlo
6. SST #50 Team Motors Events AMT Assurances Suzuki GSXR1000
Guittet/Savary/Dietrich
7. SST #95 Qatar Endurance Racing Team (QERT) Suzuki GSXR1000
Al Malki/West/Prinz
8. EWC #4 Yamalube Folch Endurance Yamaha R1
Ribalta/Tizon
9. SST #9 DG Sport Yamaha R1 van Keymeulen/Cudlin/Vizziello
10. EWC #2 Team R2CL Suzuki GSXR1000
Chevaux/Buisson/Prulhiere
On the restart, the field is bunched up. Dusk is upon the riders and teams at Oschersleben as the race will finish in the darkness. SERT continues to dominate. BMW Motorrad France has put up a valiant effort once more, but can't catch the trio of Philippe, Delhalle, and Kagayama. Yamaha GMT 94 makes a scheduled pit stop and they remain on the same lap as the #99 BMW. David Checa, Kenny Foray, and Gwen Giabbani may finish on the last step of the podium. The sun sets, and night falls at Oschersleben.
SERT will undoubtedly win this race. Can Honda TT Legends finish on the podium? Team manager Neil Tuxworth says that the team hopes to finish fourth or higher and they can conserve the spot where they are currently. DG Sport and team principal Olivier Aerts are also satisfied with their position, as they seemed to have moved up considerably. Fast forward to just a half hour remaining. Team Motors Event continues in the lead of the Superstock class. In the darkness, Yamaha GMT 94 is 41 seconds behind BMW Motorrad France. The #99 bike pits.
SERT wins! They complete 313 laps in total. for a total of 720 miles. So, the winners in each class at the 8 Hours of Oschersleben are:
Overall/EWC: #1 Philippe/Delhalle/Kagayama Suzuki GSXR1000
SST: #50 Guittet/Savary/Dietrich Suzuki GSXR1000
Suzuki dominates both classes. SERT is delighted with this win after crashing out at Suzuka last time out. There is just one more endurance race to run this season. It's the motorcycle version of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Bugatti Circuit. Stay tuned for the season finale of the FIM Endurance World Championship when it becomes available.
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