It is round three of the 2013 FIM Endurance World Championship, the Oschersleben 8 Hours at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, in Saxony, Germany, on this 3.6 kilometer, (2.25 mile) course.
Some teams who are privateers, don't have factory support. They build their own bikes, relying on themselves. Team Bolliger from Switzerland, is a perfect example. Team boss Hanspeter Bolliger says the team was founded because of a joy for racing and speed. Team R2CL and their team boss Raphael Chausse, have a similar story to tell. Four friends put the team together. Raphael, two people named Cyrille, and another named Louis. The private teams have to pay for their own expenses including racing tires, racing fuel, and travel to and from the endurance racing events.
The crews for private teams work for free. They don't often get paid for their work, and that's concerning when it comes to overseas events, such as the previous round at Suzuka in Japan. Private teams still have obligations to do well and gain good results on the track, for their sponsors. Bad results = less money, and a smaller budget to work with. R2CL is a team of friends. For Team Bolliger, they are all pure racers and love the sport. Every member of the team does.
It takes hard work, and investments of time and money, to put together a successful privateer team in endurance motorcycle road racing, or any discipline of racing for that matter. Two teams who have factory support, must step up and improve their results after having bad races in the beginning of the year. Those are BMW Motorrad France, and, Honda TT Legends. Honda TT Legends team manager Neil Tuxworth, says that mechanical gremlins have plagued the team.
At the Bol D'or there was a part that had never given way before. Then, in Japan, the team had a clutch issue. Tuxworth says that Japan was the most disappointing endurance race he's been a part of. But, the team will come back. With BMW Motorrad France, they realize their mistakes, and want to turn their season around in the last two events. Honda TT Legends chief mechanic Julian Bolland says that if a rider crashes while trying to put in faster lap times, you have to accept it.
But, a silly mistake like forgetting to use the pit lane speed rev limiter, or forgetting to switch on the bike's headlight, definitely makes a team feel badly after incurring a penalty. Chief mechanic for BMW Motorrad France, Jabol Didier, echoes the same sentiment about electrical gremlins and other mechanical issues. The teams have to promise the sponsors and the manufacturers, that they will represent those brands, and push to the finish, gaining good results.
The track at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, is a very fan friendly venue. Going into this race, it is a three way battle in the points championship between Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, Monster Energy Yamaha YART, and Yamaha France GMT 94. We are ready to get this race underway. SERT has pole with Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle, and Julian Da Costa. 40 bikes will start this race. SERT's pole time was a 1:26.897 around this 3.6 kilometer (2.25 mile) track.
We are ready for the start. The riders stand poised to run across the track, jump on their motorcycles, and get this race underway. The German flag waves, and they're off! Let's go racing, boys! At the start, SERT takes full advantage of their pole position spot. The world championship leading bike #1 of Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle, and Julien Da Costa, leads the race. SERT won this race at Oschersleben last year. The team would make two pit stops in the first two hours of this race.
The bikes go three wide early on in this contest. Yamaha France GMT 94 is not where they want to be at the start of this race. Bolliger Kawasaki and Honda TT Legends seem to be in decent spots in the opening laps. Honda TT Legends are running in the top six with their #77 Honda CBR1000RR shared by John McGuinness, Michael Rutter, and Simon Andrews. SERT are opening up a lead as the #94 Yamaha of David Checa, Kenny Foray, and new third rider for this race, Frenchman, Maxime Berger, are in trouble already.
The bike is off song, running really slowly. The engine sounds like it's gone sour just a few laps into this one. Nose first into the garage is never a good sign. Checa, Foray, and Berger's race, may already be run. YART and Bolliger are battling each other for position. The YART bike #7 is shared by Broc Parkes, Josh Waters, and Igor Jerman, while Bolliger has Horst Saiger, Romain Stamm, and a different rider than is listed on their official team roster. For this race, it is Daniel Sutter as opposed to Marc Wildisen from Switzerland, or Spaniard, Gaston Garcia Blasco.
Bolliger and YART both ran in the Suzuka 8 Hours, three weeks before heading to Germany. YART pits for fuel, tires, and a rider change. Yamaha GMT 94 gets the bike back out of the garage, and refueled to get back into the fray. Will they gain ground? Will Checa, Foray, and Berger be able to finish the race? It was David Checa, falling off the motorcycle, two laps into the race, that caused their troubles, according to team manager Christophe Guyot.
Hopes are that they will finish. Meanwhile, BMW Motorrad France has their regular trio of Sebastien Gimbert, Damien Cudlin, and Erwan Nigon, back together, and they are running a steady pace right now. They need points desperately just to finish out the season. The team makes a routine pit stop for fuel, tires, and a rider change. Assistant team manager Volker Schech explains that the riders don't need to push too hard, and just need to ride a safe race.
Damien Cudlin was injured at Suzuka. So, they had a two rider team of course, with Erwan Nigon, and American Jason Pridmore, who is riding in this race, for his regular team, Penz 13.com Racing Team, in the Superstock class on an identical BMW S1000RR to the factory bike from BMW Motorrad France. Pit stop time for Honda TT Legends. Tires and riders, are changed. Again, veteran riders share the bike. John McGuinness, Michael Rutter, and Simon Andrews. The Penz 13 team is running into some trouble with the brakes.
Jason Pridmore is currently riding the bike, sharing with Pedro Vallcaneras, and Steve Mercer. Bolliger is also in this scrum for thee top placings in the early going. They make a scheduled pit stop for fuel and a rider change. SERT still holds down P1 and they too, make a scheduled pit stop. Fuel and tires are added. But, no rider change. Junior Team LMS Suzuki on their #72 Suzuki GSXR1000 is also having a good showing with the trio of Baptiste Guittet, Etienne Masson, and Greg Black. They are leading the Superstock division at the moment.
The Superstock Suzuki team, did not race at Suzuka. Here are the standings after two hours of racing, roughly 1/4 distance complete.
1. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Philippe/Delhalle/Da Costa
2. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Nigon/Cudlin
3. EWC #7 Monster Energy Yamaha - YART Yamaha R1
Parkes/Waters/Jerman
4. EWC #2 Team R2CL Suzuki GSXR1000
Buisson/Dietrich/Giabanni
5. EWC #8 Bolliger Team Switzerland Kawasaki ZX10R
Saiger/Stamm/Sutter
6. EWC #77 Honda TT Legends Honda CBR1000RR
Andrews/McGuinness/Rutter
7. SST #72 Junior Team LMS Suzuki Suzuki GSXR1000
Guittet/Masson/Black
8. SST #3 AM Moto Racing Competition Suzuki GSXR1000
Loiseau/Maitre/Hardt
9. SST #9 DGSport Herock van Keymeulen Yamaha R1
van Keymeulen/Schouten/Mahias
10. SST #50 Team Motors Events April Moto Suzuki GSXR1000
Fastre/Lucas/Savary
YART is still in with a shout for a podium place if they can be consistent. Actually, it's now about half distance. YART team manager Mandy Kainz says the battle is hot between Suzuki, BMW, and Yamaha. Team R2CL is also in this scrap, with Dylan Buisson, Guillaume Dietrich, and Gwen Giabbani. R2CL makes a routine pit stop for fuel and a rider change. Not sure who will be getting onto the bike. R2CL was another team not present at Suzuka.
Gwen Giabbani is a former winner of the Endurance World Championship, riding for YART. In pit lane, Bolliger Kawasaki is prepping and inspecting tires. Team manager Hanspeter Bigler seems content. The race is only half over though, and the team currently holds fourth place in the overall and in class for the Endurance World Championship, along with the Superstock, and Open classes. Bolliger is a lap down to the leaders, and SERT continues in P1.
Halfway through this race, they've made four pit stops. They've completed 160 laps, 360 miles. They are a lap up on BMW Motorrad France, and Monster Energy Yamaha YART. Now, for Honda TT Legends, there could be more trouble, as if their season has not been iffy enough already. The bike is frantically pushed into pit lane. John McGuinness took over the bike for the third stint, and ran out of fuel. A new rider takes over. Not sure if it's Michael Rutter or Simon Andrews.
Race manager for Honda TT Legends, Glen Richards, explains they were running seventh overall, and due to running out of gas, they've lost five minutes on track. There was no warning from the fuel light on the bike's dashboard. Things seemed to get worse for Honda TT Legends, as the fuel problem, dropped them way down to 17th in the overall in the 31 bike field. The Suzuki Junior Team still leads in Superstock, and team manager Damien Saulnier, is confident. Suzuki's junior squad comes from a racing school at the Bugatti circuit at Le Mans in France.
They have ten students for a whole year of riding and training before racing competitively. Now, traffic is beginning to take it's toll, as the leaders come up on a few bikes that have been mentioned in the overall standings like the #9 DGSport Herock Yamaha R1, the #50 Team Motors Events Suzuki, and the #5 Gas Nolimits Suzuki GSXR1000 in the Open class. DGSport Herock makes a pit stop. Didier van Keymeulen, Raymond Schouten, and Lucas Mahias, share that bike, a Yamaha R1.
Pit stop time also for the #3 AM Moto Racing Competition Suzuki in the Superstock class. Anthony Loiseau, Romain Maitre, and Jonathan Hardt, sharing that bike. Chief mechanic Stephane Barbot explains that the AM Moto team has had fuel pump issues throughout the race. Here are the standings at halfway (the four hour mark in the race).
1. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Philippe/Delhalle/Da Costa
2. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Nigon/Cudlin
3. EWC #7 Monster Energy Yamaha - YART Yamaha R1
Parkes/Waters/Jerman
4. EWC #2 Team R2CL Suzuki GSXR1000
Buisson/Dietrich/Giabanni
5. EWC #8 Bolliger Team Switzerland Kawasaki ZX10R
Saiger/Stamm/Sutter
6. SST #72 Junior Team LMS Suzuki Suzuki GSXR1000
Guittet/Masson/Black
7. SST #50 Team Motors Events April Moto Suzuki GSXR1000
Fastre/Lucas/Savary
8. SST #9 DGSport Herock van Keymeulen Yamaha R1
van Keymeulen/Schouten/Mahias
9. SST #13 Penz13.com Racing Team BMW S1000RR
Pridmore/Vallcaneras/Mercer
10. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha R1
Checa/Foray/Berger
Just past halfway, the field is put under full course yellow and the safety car. There was a big wreck that affected the track surface. Two bikes did crash. It is unclear as to which ones, as they are towed out of harms way, but damaged beyond the ability to keep racing. The safety car pulls off, and racing resumes. SERT makes another pit stop for fuel, tires, and a rider change. Two hours are now left in the Oschersleben 8 Hours. SERT team manager Dominique Meilland says they need to be careful, and watch out for the two Yamaha's and the BMW.
Past halfway it's come down to a battle between SERT and BMW Motorrad France. Now BMW heads for the pit lane. It's the usual strategy. Tires, fuel, and a rider change. BMW desperately needs points from this race. Junior Team LMS Suzuki still lead Superstock, as Team R2CL seems to be headed for the house. Their Suzuki GSXR1000 goes nose first into the garage, after being as high as fourth in the overall, earlier on in the race. There seems to be a mechanical problem with their motorcycle.
Junior Team LMS Suzuki, crashes. For R2CL, they put the bike back on track briefly. But, team manager Raphael Chausse says they have a broken oil filter. They still want a top six finish at the end of this race to score points. So, they are not out of it, as previously thought. They will soldier on. But, their efforts are for naught. They crash after leaving the pits. Push too hard, and, wham! You are in the grass of the Oschersleben infield, and will score nil points on the day.
Team Bolliger continues on, having a good run, and breaking into the top five. This is a closely contested race and an eight hour enduro is going to come down to pit strategy. It must have been the #8 Kawasaki ZX10R that dumped the fluid on the track that brought out the earlier safety car. Penz 13 pits their BMW. There is a rider change. But, it's unclear as to who goes next in their rider rotation. For Yamaha France GMT 94, this race may be salvageable after their litany of issues earlier on. Christophe Guyot says they can keep up with the quick on track pace.
Despite two wrecks, Guyot thinks the team can still salvage a top six finish. Team Motors Events April Moto, and the riding trio of Fastre, Lucas, and Savary, pits. They too, are still in contention in the Superstock class. They do a quick repair in the garage, and send the bike out, with it's new rider. Team manager Herve Moineau says practice was difficult, and the race has been, too. But, AM Motors seems to be catching up and running a decent pace.
After leading Superstock early, it seems that LMS Suzuki has run into more mechanical issues, and has their bike in the garage. Etienne Baptiste crashed after not seeing an oil flag, and damaged the suspension and the frame on the Suzuki GSXR1000. The crew is in the garage, fixing it. A fraught race for the Suzuki Junior squad. They do get the bike back out. But, no chances of victory for the Suzuki Junior Team at Oschersleben. Let's take a look at the standings with six hours complete, and two to go.
1. EWC #1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Philippe/Delhalle/Da Costa
2. EWC #7 Monster Energy Yamaha - YART Yamaha R1
Parkes/Waters/Jerman
3. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Nigon/Cudlin
4. EWC #8 Bolliger Team Switzerland Kawasaki ZX10R
Saiger/Stamm/Sutter
5. SST #13 Penz13.com Racing Team BMW S1000RR
Pridmore/Vallcaneras/Mercer
6. SST #50 Team Motors Events April Moto Suzuki GSXR1000
Fastre/Lucas/Savary
7. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha R1
Checa/Foray/Berger
8. SST #9 DGSport Herock van Keymeulen Yamaha R1
van Keymeulen/Schouten/Mahias
9. SST #44 No Limits Motor Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Boscoscuro/Bussei/Casas
10. EWC #77 Honda TT Legends Honda CBR1000RR
Andrews/McGuinness/Rutter
YART is still in contention, with two hours remaining. But, their race turns sour, on a pit stop. A big wreck in the pit lane of all places. She done blew up right there in the pit. A big plume of flame, and then, it's ditch the bike and run for your life! Broc Parkes was a lucky chap to survive that incident. The fire extinguisher at the ready, immediately. After running second overall, their race could be done and dusted, in a bad way. That's not going out in a blaze of glory by any means.
As Bolliger pits, we watch from a helmet camera of one of the pit crew members, who has to catch the front of the bike with both hands as it stops. Fuel and tires. No rider change. Yours truly misspoke again. YART will continue in the race, despite the damage to the bike from the fire. Although, the crew is still trying to clean up, and surely does not want to be inhaling fumes either from the bike, or from the fire extinguishers. Broc Parkes says it's just a racing deal. They'll soldier on, even if they don't make the podium.
It's the final hour of racing at Oschersleben, just as twilight hits Saxony in Germany. BMW Motorrad France has been running well all day. They've lost a couple spots. They were as high as second overall and now, run fourth. Actually, as they make their presumably final pit stop, they are second, behind Suzuki Endurance Racing Team. Bolliger Kawasaki is also trying to hang on for the podium. The plot thickens though. Bolliger gets demoted to fourth. Who knew it. Here comes Yamaha GMT 94, after being through some disastrous circumstances earlier in this race.
They will get a top five finish out of it. David Checa, Kenny Foray, and Maxime Berger, have clawed back a lot of ground over the last few hours. Pitting too, is the #13 Penz 13 BMW. Penz 13 overtook Team LMS Suzuki in the Superstock division, for the lead in class. SERT makes their last pit stop. Fuel, the final tire change, and the final change of riders to take it home to the finish. YART also makes their last stop. No fire this time. If SERT wins this, they'll pad their points lead, going into the last race of the season, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto.
As it stands, SERT will be thirteen points ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha YART and a further 24 ahad of Yamaha France GMT 94. Yamaha France makes their last pit stop and a final rider change. Bolliger won't make the podium. But, they'll still get a top five finish from this race. Darkness now falls as we head into the last minutes of this event. The time schedule for this race was pulled forward to avoid finishing in the dark, as there are no lights at Oschersleben.
Penz 13 will win Superstock honors, as they make their last pit stop. Everyone is on pins and needles in the garage. But, SERT, doesn't need to worry. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, will win the Oschersleben 8 Hours!
Overall/EWC: #1 Philippe/Delhalle/Da Costa Suzuki GSXR1000
SST: #13 Pridmore/Vallcaneras/Mercer BMW S1000RR
SERT is happy to win. But, even happier must be BMW Motorrad France, just to score their first points of the season, with one race remaining. That is the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto at the Bugatti circuit. It actually took place last weekend. If results can be found, they will be posted here, soon. Not sure about a full race report. Still, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto, should be a very competitive event.
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