EWC NEWSLETTER 10-24

The FIM Endurance World Championship track action might have finished for 2024 but there have been plenty of stories making the news in recent weeks. A recap follows and a reminder that French-language versions of selected articles are available here: https://www.fimewc.com/fr.

TICKETS ON SALE FOR EWC 24 HEURES MOTOS
Tickets for the 48th 24 Heures Motos, the opening round of the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship at Le Mans in France, are on sale. After the hugely successful 47th edition last April, which attracted an onsite fan attendance of 78,000 and was notable through the measures taken to reduce campsite noise pollution, the launch of ticket sales signals the countdown to the event from 17-20 April next year. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

CANEPA: EWC MADE ME A BETTER RIDER
Double FIM Endurance World Championship title winner Niccolò Canepa reckons the EWC made him a better rider. Speaking as he prepared to call time on his hugely successful competition career in September, the Yamaha-powered star described the EWC as “a championship where you can learn and improve so much”. He added: “Since I joined this championship, I realise that I grew up so much in that and when I had the chance to do a few wildcards in World Superbike I realise I was much better in pace, much better in physical resistance, in endurance, and better in mixed conditions.” CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

EWC GREAT CANEPA APPOINTED YAMAHA ROAD RACING SPORTING MANAGER
Niccolò Canepa, who retired from riding as an all-time FIM Endurance World Championship great following the season-deciding Bol d’Or, has been appointed Road Racing Sporting Manager, Motorsport Division, Yamaha Motor Europe. The 36-year-old will take over responsibility for FIM Superbike World Championship sporting operations from Andrea Dosoli, who has been appointed Division Manager, Motorsport Division, Yamaha Motor Europe. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

LEGEND HARADA ON EWC’S TALENT DEVELOPMENT ROLE
Tetsuya Harada, the 1993 FIM 250cc world champion, used his visit to the Bol d’Or to highlight the role the FIM Endurance World Championship’s role in helping to develop young talent. The Japanese legend said: “The EWC is also a very good entry to a world championship and a good training for riders because there are a lot of laps in a race and a lot of time to get faster.” CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

EWC PARTNER DUNLOP LAUNCHES SPORTSMART MK4 AS LATEST PREMIUM HYPERSPORT TYRE
Dunlop, the official tyre partner of the Superstock-based FIM Endurance World Cup, has revealed its latest road-focused hypersport tyre, SportSmart mk4, featuring improvements to build on its predecessor’s high level of dynamic road performance for a wide variety of sports bikes. Replacing the highly popular SportSmart Mk3 in the range, which was launched in 2019, the new SportSmart mk4 represents a substantial improvement thanks to relentless continuous development of every component in the tyre. Designed for use predominantly on roads, SportSmart mk4 sits in the range alongside the road/track focused SportSmart TT. .

LEESCH PRAISES TEAM AND TEAM-MATES, WANTS 2025 EWC REVENGE
Chris Leesch said Chromeburner-RAC 41-Honda’s Bol d’Or Superstock podium and runner-up placing in the final FIM Endurance World Cup standings owed plenty to his team and team-mates. But the Luxembourg rider, who was partnered by Martin Renaudin, Wayne Tessels and newcomer Diego Poncet during the Bol d’Or season showdown, is already targeting the top step of the podium in the Dunlop-equipped category in 2025 to build on a successful 2024 season. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

WHY THINGS GOT “CRAZY” FOR JMA DURING EWC SEASON SHOWDOWN
JMA Racing Action Bike said finishing ninth in the final FIM Endurance World Cup standings was “a crazy thing” after the Superstock squad completed the Bol d’Or sixth in class in 10th overall. With a revamped rider line-up of Charles Cortot, Julien Lenoci, Milan Merkelbagh and Jan Mohr, JMA Racing Action Bike started the Circuit Paul Ricard event in 28th place but came through to take the chequered flag in the top 10. .

HOW 3ART BEST OF BIKE BATTLED BACK IN EWC FINALE
3ART Best of Bike’s fifth-place FIM Endurance World Cup category finish in the Bol d’Or was down to swift work by the team’s mechanics and its riders “giving their all”. That’s according to the Yamaha-powered outfit after it battled back to finish the season decider in ninth overall and fifth in class. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

KM99 HAD TO DIG DEEP TO FINISH AS TOP EWC INDEPENDENT, SAYS KÜPPER
Finishing as the top independent outfit in the FIM Endurance World Championship was a case of exceeding expectations, according to KM99 Team Manager Mario Küpper. Click HERE for more from the Belgian boss as he looked back on the 2024 EWC season.

PITLANE PLOTS 2025 EWC FORM GAIN
Pitlane Endurance - JP3 has vowed to be even better in next season’s FIM Endurance World Cup, the Superstock-based contest run as part of the FIM Endurance World Championship. Team regulars Enzo Boulom and Luca De Vleeschauwer were joined by newcomers Twan Smits and Luca Vitali for the Bol d’Or, which the Yamaha-powered squad finished in 11th place in class after delays resulting from mechanical issues. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

SOOMER SO CLOSE BUT SO OUT OF LUCK ON BMW EWC STEP UP
Hannes Soomer has spoken about the crash in the FIM Endurance World Championship season-deciding Bol d’Or that left him with a dislocated shoulder and fractured arm. The Superstock category winner in the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race was competing in the top-level Formula EWC category for the first time as Sylvain Guintoli’s replacement at BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. However, a crash while leading the Circuit Paul Ricard contest during the early hours of Sunday morning left the rising Estonia with injuries and ultimately restricted title-chasing BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team to third in the final EWC standings. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

TEAM 33 LOUIT APRIL MOTO COMPLETES EWC 2024 ON THE UP
Former FIM Endurance World Cup title winner Team 33 Louit April Moto completed 2024 with its best result of the season in the 87th Bol d’Or. Having claimed the Superstock-based title at Circuit Paul Ricard in September 2023, Team 33 Louit April Moto returned to the French venue 12 months later and finished a strong eighth overall and fourth in class with riders Guillaume Antiga, Simone Saltarelli, David Sanchís and Matthieu Gregorio, who joined the Kawasaki-powered outfit for the season finale. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

EWC NEWCOMER TEAM ÉTOILE AIMING FOR THE TOP IN 2025
Takashi Ichikawa has made winning the FIM Endurance World Cup title Team Étoile’s number one priority in 2025. Ichikawa’s BMW-powered squad was a new addition to the EWC ranks for the 2024 season. It impressed by claiming the Superstock pole position for the 8 Hours of Spa Motos and by finishing runner-up in the Dunlop-supplied category in the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race. Despite these standout achievements Ichikawa said he was only “50 per cent satisfied” during a summing up of his team’s maiden EWC season following the Bol d’Or. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

TRT27 RIDERS “FOUGHT LIKE LIONS” TO CLINCH EWC BOL D’OR PODIUM
TRT27 AZ Moto completed its first Honda-powered FIM Endurance World Cup campaign with third place on the Bol d’Or Superstock podium after its riding trio of Eemeli Lahti, Tom Oliver and Tom Ward “fought like lions” at Circuit Paul Ricard. The result ensured a season full of potential ended on a high note for Eric Tanésie’s Dunlop-equipped team, which counted on British riders Oliver and Ward, plus Finn Lahti for the EWC season finale. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

PERFECT PREPARATION ALLOWS MANA-AU TO ACHIEVE ITS EWC GOAL
Manu-au Competition achieved its goal of finishing the fourth and final round of the 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship season thanks to a Honda motorcycle that was “prepared to perfection” by its “dedicated team members”. The Honda-powered squad crossed the Bol d’Or finishing line last month in 13th overall and seventh among the Formula EWC entrants to secure 15th position in the final ranking of the FIM Endurance World Championship for Teams. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

NO LIMITS TO EWC SUPERSTOCK TEAM’S DESIRE
Honda No Limits has underlined its “desire” to hit back from its early exit from September’s FIM Endurance World Cup season finale. The Italian team started the Bol d’Or in eighth place in the Dunlop-supplied Superstock category but was forced to retire from the Circuit Paul Ricard showdown after eight hours of racing. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

TECMAS EXPERIENCES EWC HIGHS AND LOWS – THEN HELPS FORAY MAKE HISTORY
Tecmas MRP BMW Racing Team experienced high times and low times in the FIM Endurance World Championship season showdown before helping Kenny Foray make history. After the high of claiming pole position in the Dunlop-equipped Superstock category for the Bol d’Or, Tecmas MRP BMW Racing Team endured the agony of an early exit due to a mechanical issue following strong performances by riders Loïc Arbel, Jan Bühn, Foray and Jan-Ole Jähnig, a late addition to the #9 line-up. But Arnaud Sassone’s leading outfit rebounded in style back at Circuit Paul Ricard two weeks later when it helped Foray become the first rider in history to win the French Superbike crown four times, his third national title in succession. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

KREMER FOUGHT THE LAW BUT THE LAW WON IN EWC
Motobox Kremer Racing put its exit from the Bol d’Or down to “the tough law Endurance”. The German outfit had completed 347 laps of the 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship finale when it was “stopped by a broken engine”, according to a team statement. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

HOW MACO’S EWC BOL D’OR STRATEGY PAID OFF
Maco Racing executed its Bol d’Or strategy to perfection with fifth place in the Formula EWC category during the FIM Endurance World Championship season decider. The result from riders Christoffer Bergman, Martin Choy and Takeshi Ishizuka, plus reserve Bram Lambrechts, helped the Slovakian outfit to eighth place in the final EWC standings. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

TEAM RACING 85 MECHANICS PRAISED FOLLOWING EWC SEASON FINALE
Team Racing 85 by Soleane’s top 15 finish in the Dunlop-supplied FIM Endurance World Cup season finale was thanks in part to the work of its mechanics. That’s according to Team Racing 85 by Soleane head Stéphane Gaufreteau who praised their commitment and described them as “endurance warriors” following the Bol d’Or. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

ADSS 97 VOWS TO BE “STRONGER IN 2025” EWC
ADSS 97’s Bol d’Or blow has prompted a determination to “come back in 2025 stronger”. That was the message from the United Kingdom-based FIM Endurance World Cup outfit following the Circuit Paul Ricard season finale. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

KOVÁCS RECALLS HUNGARIAN TEAM’S IMPRESSIVE EWC DEBUT
Hungarian Endurance Racing Team by Moto-Jungle impressed when it made its FIM Endurance World Championship debut during the Bol d’Or. After qualifying a sensational second in the Superstock category, Hungarian Endurance Racing Team by Moto-Jungle led the Dunlop-division during the early stages at Circuit Paul Ricard with Bálint Kovács behind the handlebars of its #713 BMW. While the team would suffer Bol d’Or heartbreak when engine failure put it out after less than three hours of racing, Kovács and the all-Hungarian outfit registered their intent for the 2025 season when a full FIM Endurance World Cup campaign is planned. Click HERE to find out more from the 23-year-old talent.

PARTNERS KEY FOR TEAM PLAYERS IN EWC
Superstock squad Team Players has issued a “big thank you” to its partners after it finished the Bol d’Or among the top 15 FIM Endurance World Cup contenders. Riders Tom Berçot, Dorian Laville, Nelson Major and Adrien Rollet combined to finish 14th in the Dunlop-equipped Superstock division on Team Players’ #15 Kawasaki. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

WHY IT WAS “JOY” TIME FOR JUNIOR TEAM LE MANS SUD SUZUKI IN EWC
Junior Team Le Mans Sud Suzuki said finishing the Bol d’Or, the deciding round of the 2024 FIM Endurance World Cup, in the top 10 was an “explosion of joy” for the outfit staffed primarily by college students. It’s capture of seventh place in the Circuit Paul Ricard finale together with its fine fourth place in the 24 Heures Motos meant Junior Team Le Mans Sud Suzuki finished 10th in the final Superstock category standings. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

TEAM 202’S EWC BOL D’OR EXIT EXPLAINED
Team 202’s retirement from the Bol d’Or, the deciding round of the 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship, was the result of a technical issue. Competing in the Dunlop-supplied Superstock category, Team 202 started the EWC season finale from 45th position but was unable to progress beyond the 10-hour mark of Circuit Paul Ricard’s 24-hour contest. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

SLIDER’S “CRAZY” EWC BOL D’OR REVISITED
Slider Endurance completed its first FIM Endurance World Cup campaign with Honda power during the Bol d’Or. Click HERE for a reminder of what the Dunlop-equipped squad described as “an incredible adventure, filled with twists and intense moments”.

TEAM TCP RACING “TO RISE AGAIN” IN EWC
Team TCP Racing has vowed “to rise again” in the FIM Endurance World Cup after its bid to complete its first full season in the Superstock category ended prematurely during the Bol d’Or. Consisting of riders Alan Agogue, Marcus Delestre, Yvan Laetzig and Félix Peron, Team TCP Racing had completed 572 laps when engine failure forced the Yamaha-powered outfit to stop with a little more than three hours to go. CLICK FOR FULL STORY

LOW END CAN’T CANCEL OUT AVIOBIKE’S MID-SEASON EWC HIGH
Team Aviobike by M2 Revo’s 2024 FIM Endurance World Cup campaign might not have gone to plan during the title-deciding Bol d’Or, but the Aprilia-powered squad can still reflect on a season when it netted a maiden victory for it and the Italian motorcycle brand. While a technical failure after 18 hours led to its early exit from the Bol d’Or, in which it held the class lead, Team Aviobike M2 Revo’s breakthrough Superstock victory in the 8 Hours of Spa Motos in June remains an unforgettable memory. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

WHEN KAZAKHSTAN’S UNISERV MOTO82 TEAM CZECHED OUT FRENCH TRIO
Czech Republic-based Kazakhstan outfit Uniserv Moto82 Team brought in a trio of French riders for the 2024 FIM Endurance World Cup Bol d’Or finale, including female racer Gaëlle Rémy. The Kawasaki-powered squad, which was contesting its second season in the EWC’s Dunlop-supplied category, also added Rémy’s compatriots Adrien Lepine and Tom Nachin alongside team regular Karel Pešek from Czech Republic. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

HOW THEY STAND IN EWC
The standings following round four of the FIM Endurance World Championship season, the 87th Bol d’Or, are available by clicking HERE.

EWC 2025 CALENDAR REFRESHER
The race to win the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship is go with confirmation of the calendar for next year’s 46th EWC season. Mirroring the schedule that challenged ace motorcycle riders and their teams and captivated global television audiences in 2024, the 2025 fixture list features two 24-hour races and two events held over a duration of eight hours. The action kicks off with the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans in April and concludes with the Bol d’Or at Circuit Paul Ricard in September. In between are visits to Circuit de Spa Francorchamps for the 8 Hours of Spa Motos in June followed by the 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race in August. CLICK FOR FULL STORY.

EWC 2025 WHAT’S NEW REMINDER
For a reminder of what’s new for the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship season, including details of the EWC’s pathway, the FIM Production World Trophy and Yamaha R7 Endurance Series click HERE.

Original Source [ FIM EWC ]