Source: FIM.

Suzuki Endurance Racing Team emerged victorious from the Le Mans 24 Hour with a two-lap lead over Yamaha Racing GMT 94 Michelin, who took the 2014 FIM Endurance World Championship title. Monster Energy Yamaha YART took the third step of the podium.

SERT collected their first win of the season at the 24 Heures Moto at Le Mans, final of the 2014 FIM Endurance World Championship.

Although the FIM Endurance World title eluded them this time after four successive years at the top of the world rankings, Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle and Erwan Nigon and the team led by Dominique Méliand have finished a tough season on a high note.

In this 24 Hour race, they took the maximum number of points, leading after eight and 16 hours before taking the chequered flag in first place. SERT took command of the race early in the evening after a crash for Fabien Forêt on the Team SRC Kawasaki. The factory ZX-10R, also ridden by Gregory Leblanc and Matthieu Lagrive, had clocked up 200 laps at the front of the field.

Yamaha Racing GMT 94 Michelin is the other star of this team race at Le Mans. At the top of the provisional leader board going in to the race, David Checa, Kenny Foray and Mathieu Gines stayed with the pace set by SERT at the front.

The race did not start well for Christophe Guyot’s team after a touch and a crash for David Checa in the first lap, but after attacking hard for the rest of the race, Yamaha Racing GMT 94 Michelin takes its second world crown ten years after its first FIM Endurance World Championship title in 2004.

Third at the finish, Monster Energy Yamaha YART was also a major protagonist in the show at Le Mans with Broc Parkes, Michael Laverty and Sheridan Morais. They clocked up some breathtaking laps but were held up somewhat by a crash on Sunday morning.

The two first Superstocks took the chequered flag in fourth and fifth. Qatar Endurance Racing Team with Anthony West, Alex Cudlin and Mashel Al Naimi were in control throughout. The Qatari Kawasaki finished two laps ahead of Junior Team LMS Suzuki with Baptiste Guittet, Etienne Masson and Gregg Black.

But after a very regular season, Junior Team LMS Suzuki managed by Damien Saulnier takes the 2014 FIM Endurance World Cup ahead of Qatar Endurance Racing Team. Starteam PAM Racing, who turned heads at Oschersleben, took third place on the Superstock podium at Le Mans with Claude Lucas, Jonathan Hardt and Kevin Longearet.

Sixth overall, Honda National Motos with Greg Junod, Arturo Tizon and Olivier Four finished just short of the Formula EWC podium in fourth ahead of Team R2CL, held up by crashes. Credit is also due to Bolliger Team Switzerland, who were among the top five for a significant period before a problem with overheating.

The hopes of two major favourites for a win came to an end during the night. Held up by gear box problems halfway through the race, Honda Racing dropped out just before the seventh hour in the morning.

Julien Da Costa, Sébastien Gimbert and Freddy Foray had tucked themselves into second in the wake of SERT despite a crash for Sébastien Gimbert before the end of the first hour just after he went on the track.

Held up first by a crash for Fabien Forêt just after nightfall, Team SRC Kawasaki went out of the race shortly after Honda Racing. After a further crash during the night The Kawasaki ZX-10R was too badly damaged to get back into the race.

The start of the race was almost unprecedentedly dramatic. A series of touches from the first lap sent several teams to the back of the field including Yamaha Racing GMT 94 Michelin.

Then Sylvain Barrier on the Open BMW of Penz13.com Racing Team took the lead ahead of the Formula EWC heavy hitters. This BMW, featuring Australian Glenn Allerton, was not in contention for the title, finished seventh overall and first of the Open entries.

The weather conditions played a major role as intermittent rain and a track that remained tricky during much of the race led to numerous changes of tyres.

2014 FIM Endurance World Championship
Round four – Le Mans, France

Overall race results:
1. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (Vincent PHILIPPE/Anthony DELHALLE/Erwan NIGON) 800 laps
2. Yamaha Racing GMT 94 (David CHECA/Kenny FORAY/Mathieu GINES)+2 laps
3. Monster Energy YART (Broc PARKES/Michael LAVERTY/Sheridan MORAIS) +8 laps
4. Qatar Endurance Racing Team Kawasaki (Anthony WEST/Alex CUDLIN/Mashel AL NAIMI) +10 laps
5. Junior Team LMS Suzuki (Baptiste GUITTET/Etienne MASSON/Gregg BLACK) +12 laps
6. National Motos Honda (Valentin DEBISE/Arturo TIZON/Olivier FOUR) +18 laps
7. Penz13.com Racing Team BMW (Glenn ALLERTON/Sylvain BARRIER/Jason PRIDMORE) +20 laps
8. Team R2CL Suzuki (Gareth JONES/Guy MARTIN/Gwen GIABBANI) +22 laps
9. Metiss JLC Moto (Christophe MICHEL/Cyril HUVIER/Emmanuel CHERON) +24 laps
10. Starteam PAM-Racing (Claude LUCAS/Jonathan HARDT/Kevin LONGEARET) +24 laps

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