Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore tweaks line-up for EWC Superstock title defense
Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore has announced the three riders it will count on during the defense of its FIM Endurance World Cup title in 2023.
While Austrian Philipp Steinmayr, 29, remains a key member of the Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore attack having excelled for the Yamaha-powered French squad in 2022, Enzo De La Vega and Axel Maurin are new recruits for next season following the departures of Hugo Clere and Baptiste Guittet.
Twenty-three-year-old Frenchman De La Vega, a former FIM Supersport 300 World Championship rider, was part of the Team LH Racing EWC Superstock line-up in 2022 with the class victory in the 24H SPA EWC Motos last June a notable highlight.
De La Vega’s compatriot Maurin, 34, is an EWC reference having been part of the Viltaïs team that won the 2016-17 FIM Endurance World Cup. He’s also achieved success in the French Superbike Championship and rode for Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore in the 2014 EWC.
Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore Team Manager Yannick Bureau said: “We are pleased to announce a new line-up for the FIM Endurance World Cup in 2023, which we will start as the title holder. Philipp Steinmayr is naturally driven after a fine progression in 2022, ending in a high-flying performance at the Bol d’Or. In addition to his riding qualities, Philipp displays plenty of mechanical sympathy, he’s very serious and understands the importance of working hard for the team.
“Reinforcing the line-up for 2023 will be Axel Maurin, a real reference of endurance and speed and a former Team 18 rider in EWC. As a pillar of our team, it was always written that he would return one day.
“Enzo is still an endurance rookie having only recently started in the discipline. Despite being only 23 he has already impressed the paddock with his performances and potential. He’s ultra-motivated and looking to continue his progression with a team like ours. There is still more to come from him and that’s what convinced us to put our trust in him as we work to defend our title in 2023.”
The 2023 FIM Endurance World Championship gets underway with the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans in France from 13-16 April. Click HERE to view the full calendar.
