Yours truly wrote a brief summary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto. But, here are the full race highlights. Check it out.
This is the final race of the 2013 FIM World Endurance Championship season, the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. Contrary to the car race version of this event, as always at Le Mans, the motorcycles use the part of the track which is known as the Bugatti circuit. Before we get to this year's action, take a look at the history of the 24 Heures Moto, as it began in 1978.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_Hours_of_Le_Mans_%28motorcycle_race%29
The season title will be decided here, at the Bugatti circuit, which is the track at Le Mans (inside of the Circuit de la Sarthe for the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans car race. It is sure to be a battle between Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, and Monster Energy Yamaha YART for the title. New riders will be a part of this race. Multiple AMA Superbike champion and king of American motorcycle road racing, Josh Hayes, will race for Yamaha YART.
Alex Cudlin will bolster the effort for Suzuki Endurance Racing Team. But, for Josh Hayes, he's excited to be racing at Le Mans for the first time in his career. Suzuki's Vincent Philippe also knows the importance of this race. Team manager for YART, Mandy Kainz, called Josh Hayes and asked if he'd come to ride with the team at Le Mans, explaining that they could be in contention to win the World Championship. Hayes will share the bike with Broc Parkes and Igor Jerman.
Vincent Philippe will share his Suzuki GSXR1000 with Alex Cudlin and Julien Da Costa. BMW Motorrad France has had a very difficult season, but had a good result last time out at Oschersleben in the 8 hour race there. Rider Sebastien Gimbert explains that they ended up with a race that was much better than expected, in fact, an excellent one. Erwan Nigon is hurt. Damien Cudlin can't be at this race either. So, BMW Motorrad France, has on their squad... Sebastien Gimbert, Sylvain Barrier, and Josh Waters.
SERT and YART are strong. But, SRC Kawasaki seem to be the specialists in the 24 hour French endurance events and have won both the Bol D'Or (which was highlighted on this blog earlier this year) at Magny Cours, and, also, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto. Let's go racing! Suzuki Endurance Racing Team will start from pole position. Their combined overall pole time was a lap at 1:37.877.
YART and BMW Motorrad France are up at the sharp end, and many French teams are competing in this, their home race. Honda TT Legends is back for Le Mans and have revised their rider lineup. It will be Michael Rutter, Simon Andrews, and Michael Dunlop. Anthony Delhalle was injured in a crash in practice earlier in the race week and will not start this race. Kawasaki will have at least two bullets in the gun, with SRC Kawasaki, and Team Bolliger, from Switzerland.
Yamaha GMT 94 starts second in this race with the riding team of David Checa, Kenny Foray, and Matthieu Lagrive. In total, 56 bikes will start the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We're ready for a start. The riders are poised to run to their bikes and get the race underway. The Trois Couleurs flag is waved, and we're ready. Go! SRC Kawasaki is already building a lead going into the first of the s curves on the Bugatti track, with the rest of the field following in hot pursuit.
In a 24 hour race, the early going is of very little consequence. These guys are just going to be riding around, setting a pace, and seeing how things shape up. SRC Kawasaki has on it's rider's strength, three Frenchmen. Gregory Leblanc, Nicolas Salchaud, and Fabien Foret. One lap done and dusted, and many, many more to come. Early on, both Honda TT Legends and Yamaha GMT 94 seem very competitive. But, maybe their consistency won't last too long.
David Checa spills the bike in one of the chicanes. He runs to the bike, motioning with his hands like, "for Pete's sake, why did that happen?!" Checa hits the pit lane and turns the bike nose first into the garage, which at Le Mans, or in any of these endurance motorcycle races, is never a good sign. The crew jumps right on the task of fixing the motorcycle. David Checa had not one, but two wrecks. Not to be outdone, early on, Vincent Philippe ditches the #1 SERT Suzuki, too.
The reigning champions, and title contenders, crash early. Can Vincent Philippe, Julien Da Costa, and Alex Cudlin, recover? SERT also had a blown gasket on their motor, and after four hours of racing, it is BMW Motorrad France, in the lead, a team that desperately needs a result this year, after having a fraught season to this point. SERT team manager Dominique Meliand says the race start has been a tough one for his team. He says, "we've had a crash, and a gasket problem. This delayed us a lot. Now, we'll focus more on the championship than the race. The choice wasn't up to us."
At this moment, it's a battle for supremacy between SRC Kawasaki, and BMW Motorrad France. SERT does eventually get back on track. But, they have a long road to navigate, and a mountain to climb. They are 40 laps behind the leaders. On the 2.655 mile Bugatti layout, that means, they are some 106 miles behind. Josh Hayes is riding his first stint for YART. Hayes makes a pass on a lapped bike, #37. Not sure which team, bike, or riders, that number belongs to.
He brings the bike in for a regular pit stop, handing over to either Igor Jerman, or Broc Parkes. It's unclear which rider will go next. Jerman, possibly. Broc Parkes says the track is very slippery. Parkes was quite concerned, seeing crashes, and also, having no front brake on the bike. Sebastien Gimbert and BMW Motorrad France lead the race after four hours. SERT pits as BMW Motorrad France is now a lap up on SRC Kawasaki. Remember, the trio of riders for BMW in this race includes Sylvain Barrier, Sebastien Gimbert, and Josh Waters.
Honda TT Legends, YART, FMA Assurances, and Team R2CL follow. SERT continues to struggle, and things are not much better for YART, as the bike stalls on a pit stop. SRC Kawasaki continues to lead and has not had many issues to speak of in this race. They make a scheduled pit stop, and right now, the field is spread out as Kawasaki and BMW are the only factory teams that haven't really run into problems as of yet. The safety car would be deployed just before the four hour mark with a huge tumble by bike #51. Not sure which bike this is. Meanwhile, the #13 Penz13 Kraftwerk BMW S1000RR is in the pits, after a crash, putting the trio of Jason Pridmore, Steve Mercer, and Pedro Vallcaneras, behind.
The bikes are circulating behind the safety car right now. It looks as though Penz 13 has repaired their BMW motorcycle quickly. They'll be back into the race. Like SERT earlier, they've lost a bunch of time. We come back to green flag conditions, but SERT remains in the garage. The team of Philippe, Da Costa, and Cudlin, not going anywhere. Here's the top ten after four hours at Le Mans.
1. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Barrier/Waters
2. EWC #11 Team SRC Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX10R
Leblanc/Foret/Salchaud
3. EWC #77 Honda TT Legends Honda CBR1000RR
Rutter/Andrews/Dunlop
4. EWC #7 Monster Energy Yamaha YART Yamaha YZFR1
Parkes/Hayes/Jerman
5. EWC #20 FMA Assurances Honda CBR1000RR
Black/Lussiana/Debise
6. EWC #2 Team R2CL Suzuki GSXR1000
Martin/Buisson/Giabbani
7. EWC #55 National Motos Honda CBR1000RR
Tizon Ibanez/Junod/Four
8. EWC #18 Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers Kawasaki ZX10R
Molinier/Tangre/Briere
9. SST #50 Team Motors Events - April Moto Suzuki GSXR1000
Fastre/Savary/Lucas
10. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha YZFR1
Checa/Foray/Lagrive
Scheduled pit stops start, with BMW Motorrad France. They led the first quarter of this race. That's 265 laps (682 miles). Sebastien Gimbert, Sylvain Barrier, and Josh Waters, are in P1 for the moment, after a tumultuous 2013 season so far. For SRC Kawasaki, their race isn't going to plan. Contact with another lapped bike, sends the green machine crashing to the pavement. Running repairs will definitely be in order, as the bike enters pit lane.
The repairs were quick, and SRC Kawasaki was soon again in hot pursuit of BMW Motorrad France. Fabien Foret was on the bike and says he got tapped going into the final corner, which on the Bugatti circuit is called Reccordement, and it's turn eleven. Team R2CL is running well. Dylan Buisson and Gwen Giabbani are racing with new team mate Guy Martin. Fans of this blog, will know Guy Martin from the Bike Road Racing Series. He is one of the top riders on that circuit. This team is moving up the order, consistently.
Honda TT Legends is running well. They have new riders for Le Mans, too, in the form of Michael Dunlop, Michael Rutter, and Simon Andrews. All three of these guys, also run regularly in the Bike Road Racing Series and in those wild races on the streets around the Isle of Man. They make a regularly scheduled pit stop. Michael Dunlop says everything is running smoothly for the team. They are in a heated battle with the Bolliger Team at the moment, on track, though. Bolliger has kept falling behind and between hours four and eight, continued to sink.
By the eighth hour, they'd dropped out of the top ten. Team Motors Events April Moto, and their riders Gregory Fastre, Claude Lucas, and Michael Savary, seem to be having a good showing so far. They lead in class in Super Stock right now. The shadows begin to grow long, and a mist hangs over the Bugatti track at Le Mans, headed for the hours of darkness. Team Motors Events hold a two lap lead over their closest pursuer in class, DGSport Herock. Additionally, they are five laps behind BMW Motorrad France in the overall. On the rider's strength for DGSport Herock's Yamaha R1 are Didier van Keymeulen, David McFadden, and Lucas Mahias.
At the eight hour mark, Yamaha GMT94 have recovered from early crashes, to complete the top five in the overall, as the team makes a scheduled pit stop. They do a standard pit stop for tires, fuel, and a rider change. The bikes all have their headlights on, as dusk settles in at Le Mans. The nighttime at Le Mans is the most difficult part of this race. Fully into the darkness now, SRC Kawasaki pits. They do a rider change, and add fuel. The green bike is two laps behind BMW Motorrad France, as Salchaud, Foret, and Leblanc, press on.
YART currently holds second spot. The safety car comes out again, as there's been another big wreck. This is right at the end of the front straight, going into turns one and two, (the Dunlop chicanes). Honda TT Legends were one of the teams involved in this wreck. It actually happened just short of turn five, (Museum corner). Other teams involved were Kawasaki 3D Endurance Moto Center, MCS Racing, and the Team Flemmbo Leader team Kawasaki.
Here are the rider's strengths for those teams:
Kawasaki 3D Endurance Moto Center: Stephan Egea, Fabrice Holub, & Hugo Clere Kawasaki ZX10R
MCS Racing - IPone: Marin Ivanov, Alexandre Basso, & Roberto Anastasia Suzuki GSXR1000
Team Flemmbo Leader Team: Xavier Demar, Janis Prosenik, & Emiliano Belucci Kawasaki ZX10R
Frantic action is going on in pit lane for Team R2CL, who actually might be making a regular stop. They have moved to fourth place in the overall. Here are the standings (the top ten) after eight hours of racing.
1. EWC #99 BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent BMW S1000RR
Gimbert/Barrier/Waters
2. EWC #7 Monster Energy Yamaha YART Yamaha YZFR1
Parkes/Hayes/Jerman
3. EWC #11 Team SRC Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX10R
Leblanc/Foret/Salchaud
4. EWC #2 Team R2CL Suzuki GSXR1000
Martin/Buisson/Giabbani
5. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha YZFR1
Checa/Foray/Lagrive
6. SST #50 Team Motors Events - April Moto Suzuki GSXR1000
Fastre/Savary/Lucas
7. EWC #18 Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers Kawasaki ZX10R
Molinier/Tangre/Briere
8. EWC #55 National Motos Honda CBR1000RR
Tizon Ibanez/Junod/Four
9. EWC #14 Maco Racing Team Yamaha YZFR1
Roccoli/Baldolini/Luis
10. SST #9 DGSport Herock Yamaha YZFR1
van Keymeulen/McFadden/Mahias
As the night racing continues, BMW Motorrad France makes another pit stop. They are still trying to hold an overnight lead. Sylvain Barrier says that the race is going real well. There were injuries in the earlier wreck with Honda TT Legends and another team. Simon Andrews is conscious, as he was on the bike in the crash, but has some broken bones. Another rider, is in serious condition. More updates on their status, will come.
In the darkness and mist, there are more crashes. Things are only getting more difficult for the riders now. After a wreck, Team SRC Kawasaki wants to move back into contention. They are close behind BMW Motorrad France, and YART. SRC Kawasaki does make a scheduled pit stop. Despite the earlier wreck, they are now seemingly back in the race lead. The leaders, previously, BMW Motorrad France, they're headed for the house. They're out, retiring with mechanical woes. A DNF for Sebastien Gimbert, Sylvain Barrier, and Josh Waters.
We are now into the race's 14th hour, just over halfway through. YART still wants a win and the Parkes/Jerman/Hayes trio is pushing hard. But, it's a disappointing conclusion to a dreadful season for BMW Motorrad France. Team manager for YART, Mandy Kainz says they are running consistently. But, then, he makes a statement that wrecks their hopes, that the engine on their Yamaha YZF R1 has let go. So, now, Broc Parkes, Josh Hayes, and Igor Jerman, are also non-finishers.
So, bad races for Yamaha YART and BMW Motorrad France, are not what either of these teams wanted, and each one will look to 2014 to strengthen their efforts. SRC Kawasaki continues to lead, and Team R2CL continues marching through the field. R2CL pits. They want a podium for their trio of riders... Guy Martin, Gwen Giabbani, and Dylan Buisson. The factory squads, many of them, have had unforeseen issues throughout this race.
Where things went sour for BMW Motorrad France and for Monster Energy Yamaha YART, they seem to be turning around for Yamaha France GMT 94, who are clawing their way back up the order as dawn approaches at Le Mans. Right now, the team is buttoning up repairs on the bike, in the garage. Before retiring, BMW Motorrad France had led for nine straight hours in this race, and also had to overcome a minor issue with the bike's exhaust system.
DGSport Herock pits. They are running well in Superstock, but losing pace somewhat at the same time. Their riders, Didier van Keymeulen, David McFadden, and Lucas Mahias, have been doing what they can to stay competitive. Also in Superstock, Team Motors Event is still in the class lead and they are booking it around the Bugatti circuit. Gregory Fastre, Claude Lucas, and Michael Savary, are doing very well to this point. They make a scheduled pit stop. By hour sixteen, they are on the podium, running in third place overall.
Team Motors Event is nine laps behind the leading SRC Kawasaki team, and three laps behind Team R2CL. Things seem to be fairly steady in Superstock at the moment. Team LMS Suzuki is running well, too. They make a scheduled stop. Sharing the riding chores on bike #72 (a Suzuki GSXR1000), are three Frenchmen. Baptiste Guittet, Etienne Masson, and Guillaume Dietrich. Currently, they are eighth in the overall, chasing the Maco Racing Team bike #14 with their riders Alex Baldolini, Massimo Rocoli, and Jose Manuel Luis.
Team Motors Event made a mistake, and has promoted the Suzuki LMS Junior Team. Three French teams are in the top six. Yamaha France GMT 94, National Motos, and Team 18 Sapeurs-Pompiers, are also up into the top five. SRC Kawasaki continues to lead, with a six lap margin right now, as dawn breaks over Le Mans. Here are the standings after 16 hours.
1. EWC #11 Team SRC Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX10R
Leblanc/Foret/Salchaud
2. EWC #2 Team R2CL Suzuki GSXR1000
Martin/Buisson/Giabbani
3. SST #50 Team Motors Events - April Moto Suzuki GSXR1000
Fastre/Savary/Lucas
4. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha YZFR1
Checa/Foray/Lagrive
5. EWC #55 National Motos Honda CBR1000RR
Tizon Ibanez/Junod/Four
6. EWC #18 Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers Kawasaki ZX10R
Molinier/Tangre/Briere
7. EWC #14 Maco Racing Team Yamaha YZFR1
Roccoli/Baldolini/Luis
8. SST #72 Junior Team LMS Suzuki Suzuki GSXR1000
Guittet/Masson/Dietrich
9. SST #9 DGSport Herock Yamaha YZFR1
van Keymeulen/McFadden/Mahias
10. SST #68 Atomic Motosport Suzuki GSXR1000
Pierre/Jond/Cholvin
Dawn brings hope in any kind of endurance racing on two wheels or four. Eight long hours still remain in this race and it's not over yet. With retirements from some of the bigger teams, SERT is still in with a shout to at least finish this race. They are still fighting the championship battle with Yamaha France GMT 94, even though the two teams are 63 laps apart. After their earlier crash, SRC Kawasaki, somehow, some way, is dominating this race.
Team manager Gilles Stafler says that the night went over well, and the team is not forcing the pace since the retirement of their closest competition from BMW Motorrad France. The team is running to a definite pace, but not pushing 100%. Team R2CL with Guy Martin, Gwen Giabbani, and Dylan Buisson, are their closest competitors. Speaking of R2CL, they make another scheduled pit stop. Gwen Giabbani says that they're still fighting, particularly with Yamaha GMT 94. This team has recovered well. They were in fourth at hour sixteen, and since then, have moved up to second, behind SRC Kawasaki.
David Checa, the lead rider for Yamaha GMT 94, wants to see the team get on the podium. SERT is just trying to move up through the field, despite their fraught race with crashes, and a blown gasket earlier on. They come to pit lane, for a scheduled stop, still wanting this championship for World Endurance motorcycle road racing in 2013. What they want, is a second consecutive title. In Superstock, it's still Team Motors Events with the trio of Fastre, Lucas, and Savary, with the lead in class.
They are running well, but on a scheduled pit stop, one of the riders overshoots the pit box. Claude Lucas also says that the engine temperature on the motorcycle is going up. The team's pit stop is successful and they applaud each other as the bike exits pit lane. Here are the standings after 20 hours. Just four hours remain in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Moto, and the 2013 FIM World Endurance Championship season.
1. EWC #11 Team SRC Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX10R
Leblanc/Foret/Salchaud
2. EWC #2 Team R2CL Suzuki GSXR1000
Martin/Buisson/Giabbani
3. EWC #94 Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha YZFR1
Checa/Foray/Lagrive
4. SST #50 Team Motors Events - April Moto Suzuki GSXR1000
Fastre/Savary/Lucas
5. EWC #18 Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers Kawasaki ZX10R
Molinier/Tangre/Briere
6. SST #72 Junior Team LMS Suzuki Suzuki GSXR1000
Guittet/Masson/Dietrich
7. EWC #14 Maco Racing Team Yamaha YZFR1
Roccoli/Baldolini/Luis
8. EWC #55 National Motos Honda CBR1000RR
Tizon Ibanez/Junod/Four
9. SST #33 Team Louit Moto 33 Kawasaki ZX10R
Marino/Savadori/Jonchiere
10. EWC #5 Synergyforce Trickstar Kawasaki ZX10R
Serizawa/Deguchi/Teramoto
This race is entering it's final stages... the final four hours of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. SRC Kawasaki is going to have their fourth consecutive win at the Le Mans 24 Hours. This will be the fourth Le Mans win for Gregory Leblanc as a rider, too. Team Motors Event will win the Superstock division if things hold as they are for the last hours of the race. They could also make the overall podium.
Yamaha France GMT 94 makes a pit stop. They make a rider change, and hope to move into second, taking the spot from team R2CL. R2CL also pits. The team of Martin, Giabbani, and Buisson, have had a good race. The teams salute their riders for successful final stints. Team SRC Kawasaki is cruising, and strategy will give them a good place to be the winner of this race, as they make their final pit stop. Nervous moments in the garage. But, the riders have done their part.
Team SRC Kawasaki wins it! Victory at home for the French team. Gregory Leblanc, Fabien Foret, and Nicolas Salchaud, do it. In Superstock, it is Team Motors Events, winning the Le Mans 24 Hour race, with Gregory Fastre, Michael Savary, and Claude Lucas... another all French squad. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team defends their title in the FIM Endurance World Championship!
Overall/EWC: #11 Team SRC Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX10R
Leblanc/Foret/Salchaud
SST: #50 Team Motors Events - April Moto Suzuki GSXR1000
Fastre/Savary/Lucas
This brings the 24 Hours of Le Mans to a close. SRC Kawasaki win again at Le Mans. SERT, the team champions, also win, despite not being in a celebratory mood after their race. There is a trophy presentation for the team's overall efforts, at Le Mans, after the race. Team Motors Event win the Superstock championship, and SERT, win the Endurance World Championship.
Overall/EWC: 3rd Team SRC Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX10R
2nd Yamaha France GMT 94 Yamaha YZFR1
1st Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki GSXR1000
Superstock: 3rd Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Team BMW S1000RR
2nd Junior Team LMS Suzuki Suzuki GSXR1000
1st Team Motors Event - April Moto Suzuki GSXR1000
This has been one of the most dramatic races at Le Mans. SERT claim their 13th FIM Endurance World Championship crown. We'll see you for more motorcycle endurance racing in 2014. So long for now.
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