Nineteen permanent teams are already registered two months before the 2009 season opening at Le Mans. Some other teams are still working on their application and finalizing their budget, to join before mid-April the full-fledged teams who will dispute the entire 2009 FIM Endurance Word Championship. It won’t be compulsory for the permanent teams to attend the Suzuka round this coming season. The battle for the 2009 World crown will be highly disputed, although the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team is no more permanent. Hence, Yamaha Austria Racing Team is now getting the status of 2009 favourite. Highly competitive last year in Suzuki SERT’s tail, the official Austrian Yamaha is stronger than ever with, on top of three experienced riders, Slovenian Igor Jerman, Australian Steve Martin and French Gwen Giabbani, the official support of tyre supplier Michelin. Apart from the Yamaha Austria Racing Team, the Formula EWC class is not short of title contenders. Bolliger Team Switzerland, World Endurance pillar, is back on the track again with a Kawasaki ridden by the Swiss rider Patric Muff, the Austrian Horst Saiger and team newcomer German Rico Penzkoffer. Seventh in 2008, RMT 21 Racing Germany is back, still on a Honda CBR 1000 RR. Phase One Endurance, British World Champions in 1993, 2000 and 2003 also want to take part of the 2009 title chase. Australian brothers Damian and Alexander Cudlin, and Spanish Pedro Vallcaneras, who made strong impression last year while racing for Folch Endurance, will ride the British Yamaha. Some surprise could also come from BK Maco Moto Racing Team. The Slovakian team did a fantastic comeback towards the end of last year and is entering with new riders. Next to American Jason Pridmore, already there last year, Maco Moto recruited Spanish Dani Ribalta, who also made impression on the Yamaha Folch Endurance. The Franco-Italian Suzuki RT Racing Team Moto Virus, Italian Yamaha La Fortezza Amadeus X-One and British Kawasaki Diablo 666 Bolliger will also be here for the runner-up positions. Amongst permanent Formula EWC newcomers, two teams could join the battle for the lead. Spanish Josep Monge and French Hugo Marchand and several Le Mans and Bol d’Or winner William Costes will ride the Honda Michelin Power Research Team. The Honda seems to have podium potential. It’s the first time that Michelin is entering with a bike under its proper trade name. Prepared by Daffix Motos, who was an Endurance big name in the nineties, the Honda Michelin is here to test and develop products of the Clermont-Ferrand factory, but will be seen with no doubt at the front. However, the Yamaha YART would remain the top team for Michelin. We’ll also have to keep an eye on the dazzling French Suzuki of Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers. Since their Endurance debut in 2000, the Firemen’s red Suzuki has played with the leaders on several occasions. Two Italian teams are also becoming permanent, No Limits Motor Teams and MSC Racing. In the Superstock class, Qatar Endurance Racing Team is putting its 2008 title at stake. The Qatar Suzuki will find the Team LTG 57 on their way. The French team on Yamaha was their closest competitor last year, just ahead on another French team, Endurance Moto 45 on Suzuki. The French Suzuki ABG Peformance and Italian Kawasaki Runner Bike will also be on the starting grid. They’ll have to use their experience against two Superstock newcomers: the Serbians of Markos Suzuki Serbian Team and the Spanish of Cordobia Patrimonio de la Humanidad, on Kawasaki. There are ten nations in those nineteen permanent teams, although the biggest representation is from France and Italy. More teams might join the 2009 championship permanently before mid-April, and the season opening at Le Mans.