2024 FIM Endurance World Championship
Round One – 24 Heures Motos
Circuit Bugatti Le Mans (4.185km)
Qualifying
Le Mans hosts the EWC season-opening 24 Heures Motos this weekend, the first of four races counting towards the FIM Endurance World Championship and the FIM Endurance World Cup in 2024. The event has attracted 47 entries covering eight different motorcycle manufacturers and 23 nationalities.
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team made a flying start to its FIM Endurance World Championship title defence with pole position – and a new lap record – for the 24 Heures Motos.
YART essentially did its hard work during First Qualifying on Thursday afternoon when Niccolò Canepa set a new lap record, a 1m34.708s. Despite Marvin Fritz having his best lap time disallowed for a track limits infringement, and Karel Hanika crashing on his first flying lap, YART was fastest in three of the four Thursday sessions. With the final qualifying order based on the average time of the fastest two riders from each team YART could not be toppled as it repeated its 2022 pole-winning performance.
In doing so, Austria-based YART has bagged five championship points, with points also shared among the remaining fastest four teams, which included fourth-placed Honda Viltaïs Racing and BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team in fifth.
Niccolo Canepà – Fastest rider
“I’m really happy because the bike yesterday was unbelievable, the Bridgestone tyres, everything. We did a good choice yesterday to go all-in with the tyres and we set our best time because the conditions were really good and the lap time came. I’m especially happy because I’m not still 100 per cent fit due to my injury [in the Daytona 200 last month] but I am confident we can do a good race. My team-mates did an amazing job and also Max Neukirchner, our new crew chief.
“This morning we made the choice to start with the race configuration and we used the race tyres and each one of us did 12 laps in a row to get the feeling for the race. But it was really impressive the pace we could make. We didn’t push for a qualifying time like we did yesterday, it was a different strategy.”
Josh Hook topped Friday’s Blue Rider order after setting a time of 1m35.087s for F.C.C. TSR Honda France. Gregg Black clocked a Circuit Bugatti personal best – a 1m35.096s – with Illya Mykhalchyk third quickest for BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team.
Josh Hook
“This morning I had a very good feeling on the bike. The track was fast and conditions were good for qualifying. I was a bit hampered today by the traffic, which prevented me from setting the perfect lap. But we’re very happy to start 3rd, it’s a very good result. I can’t wait for the race to start!”
In the Yellow Rider session, Étienne Masson was quickest for Le Mans-based Yoshimura SERT Motul with a best effort of 1m35.664s. Florian Marino (KM99) and Sylvain Guintoli, on his first appearance for BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, were second and third respectively, as Germany’s Marvin Fritz and Mike Di Meglio (F.C.C. TSR Honda France) completed the Formula EWC top five.
New-for-2024 Yoshimura SERT recruit Dan Linfoot’s 1m35.259s effort ensured the Briton topped the Red Rider group ahead of Alan Techer (F.C.C. TSR Honda France) and KM99’s Randy de Puniet. Czech Karel Hanika was fourth quickest followed by Honda Viltaïs Racing’s Argentine Leandro Marcado.
There was a heroic performance from Gino Rea in the Green Rider group when the Briton set the Superstock pace on his return to EWC action from serious head injuries sustained in a crash in 2022. The Honda-powered Wójcik Racing Team rider headed Chromeburner-RAC41-Honda’s Martin Renaudin and Alexis Masbou (Honda No Limits). Yoshimura SERT Motul reserve rider Cocoro Atsumi continued his fine Thursday form with the quickest time ahead of Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team’s back-up rider Robin Mulhauser.
In the Dunlop-equipped Superstock category, which counts for the FIM Endurance World Cup, National Motos Honda was the team to beat ahead of Tecmas-MRP-BMW Racing Team and Chromeburner-RAC41-Honda.
As well as taking pole, National Motos Honda scored five points courtesy of riders Guillaume Raymond, from France, and Swiss brothers Sébastien and Valentin Suchet. Team 18 Sapeurs Pompers CMS Motostore and Wójcik Racing Team STK filled out the top five.
24 Heures Motos Qualifying
Average Lap of fastest two team riders
- YART Yamaha 1m34.868
- SERT Suzuki 1m35.178
- FCC TSR Honda 1m35.223
- Honda Viltais 1m35.354
- BMW Motorrad 1m35.398
- Kawasaki WeBike 1m35.887
- Tati Beringer Honda 1m36.025
- KM 99 Yamaha 1m36.087
- National Motos Honda 1m37.178
- Bolliger Switzerland Kawasaki 1m37.216
Following the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans, the EWC will visit Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium in June, Suzuka Circuit in Japan the following month and Circuit Paul Ricard in France for the Bol d’Or in September. The EWC’s 45th season will consist of two races run for a duration of 24 hours and two taking place over eight hours.
2024 FIM Endurance World Championship Calendar
- 24 Heures Motos (Le Mans, France): 18-21 April (FFM)
- 8 Hours of Spa Motos (Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium): 6-8 June (FMB)
- 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race, Japan: 18-21 July (MJF)
- Bol d’Or (Circuit Paul Ricard, France): 12-15 September (FFM)
