10th Oschersleben 24 Hours classic to take place 11th 12th August The tenth edition of the Oschersleben 24 Hours race, the fourth leg of the QMMF Endurance FIM World Championship, is to take place in Germany on the 11th and 12th August. Created in 1998 and incorporated into the World Championship race calendar in 1999, the event is today one of the classics of world endurance racing. For the 18 permanent teams that will line-up at the start, the Oschersleben 24 Hours is a crucial juncture and marks the half-way point in the season. Thirty-five points are on offer for the winner in Germany. This race is particularly demanding both for the riders as well as for the motorcycles which, for 24 hours, must repeatedly confront the 14 corners of this especially winding circuit. Oschersleben spares no-one, least of all the favourites. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, winners of the event in 2005 and 2006, were forced to abandon because of a damaged engine in 2004. Among the permanent teams, two have also been victorious in the past at this race Endurance Moto 38 and Yamaha Phase One Endurance. Another point unique to the Oschersleben 24 Hours is its wide-ranging field of competitors. It is usual to see many motorcycle brands on the starting line that are rarely seen at other endurance races, such as BMW, Triumph, KTM, MZ and Harley Davidson. Once again, this year around ten machines entered into the Open category will be the unknowns of this 10th edition. These German teams will not be there simply to make up the numbers however. Last year KTM Duke Dealer Team II finished in 18th place, BMW K1200S Schubert in 26th and Harley Davidson Racing Bonn in 30th. These three teams will again be on the start line come mid-August. The presence of the two official BMW Motorrads as well as the Triumph Daytona and MZ1000S will also cause a stir. The BMWs had their first endurance outing at the last Le Mans 24 Hours. Several days after the Suzuka 8 Hours, the third leg of the QMMF Endurance FIM World Championship, is contested on the 29th July in Japan, the permanent teams will be back on the track on Thursday 9th August for the first set of free tests at Oschersleben. As well as being a huge date on the endurance racing calendar, the Oschersleben 24 Hours is also a big festival of motor sport. Alongside the big race, German Speedweek will also be entertaining the crowds with many events, concerts and races taking place, including the European Women’s Cup.