Race report: YART Yamaha wins EWC opener after late Le Mans heartache for Kawasaki Webike Trickstar.
- Dramatic victory goes to 2023 EWC title winner following thrilling 24 Heures Motos
- Kawasaki Webike Trickstar crashes out of the lead starting the final hour in France
- National Motos Honda FMA and Team Super Moto Racing celebrate respective Superstock and Production category success on Dunlop tyres
- 71,200 fans flock to Le Mans to show their support for EWC heroes
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team made a dream start to the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship with a dramatic victory at Le Mans today (Sunday) – after Kawasaki Webike Trickstar crashed out of the lead in the final 60 minutes of the 24 Heures Motos.
Leading from the eight-hour mark, Kawasaki Webike Trickstar had hit back from a late-morning fall for Mike Di Meglio and appeared to be on course for the manufacturer’s first EWC triumph since 2019 when it began to rain. Having pitted for wet-weather tyres, Román Ramos was still leading when he slid off into the gravel trap at the Raccordement corner, one of the slowest on the 4.185-kilometre Circuit Bugatti.
The notoriously slippery turn was also where Marvin Fritz fell on the opening lap of the race, a mishap that dropped him to 21st position and triggered a remarkable fightback to first place.
But with his Kawasaki ZX 10R damaged, Spaniard Ramos headed to the pitlane for repairs, which took some five minutes to complete and handed a two-lap advantage to Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team. Despite Karel Hanika pitting due to a lack of visibility through his visor, the Austrian squad was able to secure its second victory in the 24 Heures Motos, which it started from pole position thanks to a lap record run from Fritz.
In addition, the result marked a maiden EWC triumph for Australian Jason O’Halloran, a new YART signing for 2025, and allowed Fritz to celebrate his 32nd birthday in style. Fritz also became the first German winner since his crew chief, Max Neukirchner, won at Le Mans in 2007. Meanwhile, Hanika is the first Czech rider to win the legendary event.
“It was the craziest race I ever did in this championship,” said Fritz. “This was the first time I had rain at Le Mans and even if it was not always raining it was very tricky conditions with many crashes. I went down twice, but we were lucky. The bike was great, the tyres for sure, we had a really good package, and my team worked fantastic. So many things can happen in this championship, that’s why it’s so interesting. We were waiting for this win for a long time. It’s my ninth year with YART and I finished here four times second and once third. We’ve been very close very often; it was a long dream for me and for the team and each single person.”
Fritz continued: “With Karel [Hanika] we’ve been here for a long time. With Jason [O’Halloran] it was the first race here and with the team, which makes it even more sweet to win the 24 Heures Motos. Everybody deserved this because everybody gives 100 per cent effort and it gives a big boost for the next race. We are ready for Spa where we won for the last two years.”
For Ramos, it was a case of what might have been after he’d heroically grabbed the lead just before he eight-hour mark.
“At one point, the win felt so close – almost in our hands,” he said. “All we had to do was bring it home steadily, no issues with the bike, nothing going wrong… and we would’ve had it. In the end, we finished second, which, honestly, if you’d offered me that before coming here, I’d have taken it without hesitation. I wasn’t even supposed to race; I’m the fourth rider this season, and I only got the chance because Christian [Gamarino] got injured. So, to end up on the podium? I’m super-happy. But of course, after leading the race for almost the entire time, losing it in the final hour stings a little. That said, I think we did a great job. We gave everything we had to try and win. The good thing is we’re in a position to fight for it, and we’ll see what my team-mates can do in the next rounds. I really think it’s possible to go for it.”
Behind Kawasaki Webike Trickstar, which also featured five-time Le Mans winner Grégory Leblanc in its line-up, ERC Endurance became an EWC podium finisher for the first time in third after BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team was forced into an unscheduled pitstop this morning to repair a damaged exhaust.
“At the beginning of the week if you told me I would be on the podium I would sign directly,” said Kenny Foray, who was partnered at ERC Endurace by David Checa and Illya Mykhalchyk. “It was really tricky and, after two stints, I thought maybe it’s better to be at my home in front of my TV. We discovered the Dunlop tyre in the wet for the first time in the race, but we don’t crash, which was the first victory because it was so crazy. I’m very happy for my team and for my team-mates.”
MAXXESS by BMRT3D Pirelli Motul took fifth followed by Yoshimura SERT Motul, which recovered from several crashes to head home Dunlop-equipped Superstock category winner National Motos Honda FMA.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France also hit back from several setbacks to take eighth with Team Bolliger Switzerland recovering from 53rd to ninth after Alex Toledo fell at the Dunlop Chicane on lap one. Dafy-RAC 41-Honda completed the top 10 despite late drama when the chain fell off in the closing hour.
“It’s been an incredible race and it’s incredible to win this race two times in a row,” said Valentin Suchet after helping National Motos Honda to back-to-back Superstock wins. “To be honest we all suffered but everybody did a fantastic job.” Team-mate Guillaume Raymond added: “The most difficult thing was to stay on the bike and avoid making any mistakes. We were first for quite long time, but we had to keep our concentration at the highest level possible.”
Of its late drama, Dafy-RAC 41-Honda rider Chris Leesch, explained: “The broken chain came in to give an extra pinch of adrenalin but it happened at the exit of Garage Vert so Kevin [Manfredi] had to push quite a bit to get the bike back in time but he did well so we managed to save second place [in Superstock].”
By finishing third behind National Motos Honda FMA and Dafy-RAC 41-Honda, 3ART Best of Bikeensured it was an identical Superstock podium compared to 2024. New recruit James Westmoreland said: “When you come to Le Mans and finish the weekend on the podium it’s always a good weekend. I’ve waited six years to taste it again and it’s a really nice feeling. It’s a privilege for me to be with 3ART Best of Bike, they did a fantastic job.”
The first round of the inaugural FIM Endurance World Trophy for entry-level production motorcycles was won by Team Super Moto Racing ahead of ARTEC. But having dominated qualifying, Green Team 42 Lycée Sainte Claire suffered early misfortune with a heavy crash.
“It’s just amazing to be on the first step of the podium,” said Team Super Moto Racing rider Cyril Leroux.“We cannot expect to be there at the beginning of the week, but we managed the race. My team manager asked us to bring back the bike at each stint and we only made one mistake, only one crash at the Raccordement. For the other stints it was almost perfect. That’s why we finished on the first step.”
On the creation of the creation of the FIM Endurance World Trophy, a new initiative from EWC promoter Warner Bros. Discovery Sports and governing body, Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, Leroux said: “It will allow to bring some other teams that don’t have the budget to be in Superstock or EWC. That’s why it’s a super idea.”
The 48th edition of the 24 Heures Motos was action-packed from start to finish with more than 140 crashes recorded by race officials as a result of intermittent rain showers leading to slippery conditions and inconsistent grip levels. Of the 53 starters, who were flagged away by French actor Mathieu Kassovitz, the official race starter, only 10 teams avoided crashing with 14 failing to appear among the classified finishers.
WHAT’S NEXT? 8 Hours of Spa Motos, 6-7 June
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More from a press release issued by Yoshimura SERT Motul.
Yoshimura SERT Motul faced huge challenges at the first round of the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship. With very wet track conditions and, despite several crashes, the reigning world champion showed great determination to finish the 24 Heures Motos in 6th position.
The 48th edition of the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans was marked by a series of twists and turns and a record number of crashes due to the extremely tricky wet weather conditions, throughout the weekend.
Gregg Black started from second on the grid and, once again, showed his talent by getting the better of his rivals, taking a superb holeshot. He led the race for five laps before being caught out by the precarious grip on the track. The resultant crash forced him to return to the pits for just over 5 minutes. When back on track, the #1 Suzuki was in 51st place, with an uphill battle ahead.
When Black handed over to Etienne Masson, the Yoshimura SERT Motul team had pulled through to 12th place. Masson showed his competitiveness by setting the fastest times in the wet, enabling the Suzuki GSXR1000R to move up to 6th position.
During the first part of the race, Black and Masson shared the stints. This strategy paid off as, by the third hour of the race, the team was back towards the front. Unfortunately, the changes between lighter rain and heavy showers saw Masson slip and, after a 10-minute pit stop for repairs, Cocoro Atsumi restarted in 22nd position. Like his team-mates, the Japanese rider put in a string of fast laps and gained places as the race went on but, it was his turn to make a mistake after four-and- a-half-hors of racing. A heavy crash caused major damage to the GSX-R1000R, which was left immobilised in the pits for several minutes. Once again, the team had to make an heroic comeback.
Black did his utmost to get back into the top 15 early in the night, but the track conditions remained just as tricky, resulting in further crashes during his stint. Throughout the night, the three Yoshimura SERT Motul team riders were relentless in their attempts to secure as many championship points as possible.
As daylight dawned, all riders were on it with Black posting the best lap time for the whole race. To finish sixth, after so many crashes, is a testament to the strength and commitment of the team and the astonishing resilience of the team’s Suzuki GSXR1000R!
Yoshimura SERT Motul team left the Bugatti circuit with 28 points and 6th place in the provisional championship standings.
Yohei KATO – Team Director
“It was a completely crazy race. There were countless crashes, including six for us alone. It’s something of a record for the team. In the end, of course, the result didn’t live up to our objective. I’m obviously disappointed. But that’s the race. At least we gained points. The mechanics did a great job during the race and all the problems they had to overcome brought valuable experience to the whole team. The bike we’ve improved this year looks very competitive. We’re going to fight to get back into the championship standings as quickly as possible.”
Damien SAULNIER – Team Manager
“It’s obviously a disappointment because we were hoping to win again this year. The track conditions didn’t make things any easier, we crashed six times, it was very tricky but that’s part of racing. After that, it’s not just the final result that counts, it’s also the sporting performance. The work of our technical team was exemplary. I have the utmost admiration and respect for what the guys have done throughout these 24 hours. The mechanics gave 100% and the riders left every time with the determination to get the bike to the finish. It was a great team effort and a great sporting adventure. We scored some valuable points, but we’re behind in the championship. Now we’re going to have to get out in front at the next race.”
Gregg Black – Rider
“Of course, the outcome was not what we had hoped for. That’s racing. What I’ll take away from this year’s race is the incredible amount of work put in by the whole team, despite the difficulties. As far as the riders are concerned, we gave it our all in every stint. That’s also the strength of our team. We don’t give up and we proved that today with 6 crashes and a 6th place finish. So it’s a good result considering all the things that happened in the race.”
Etienne MASSON – Rider
“All these crashes and repairs are unheard of for us! But the team worked really well to get the bike back on track every time. That’s the positive point. The other satisfaction is that we showed we had the right pace in the race. The negative point is that all these crashes have deprived us of a podium finish or even victory. We lost a lot of points in the championship. We made some mistakes, and we need to learn from them to come back even stronger at the next race.”
Cocoro ATSUMI – Rider
“I’ve never finished a 24-hour race before, so I’m pleased to do this. I got caught out in my first stint. However, after that, I managed to adapt my riding a lot better to the track conditions which enabled me to make progress. It was a big responsibility for me to replace Dan Linfoot when I was the reserve rider. I had a bit of pressure on my shoulders but I worked hard and gave it my all.”
More from a press release issued by Honda Racing
Superstock victory at Le Mans, but a drama-filled 24 Heures Motos in EWC for F.C.C. TSR Honda France.
Honda celebrates double podium with victory for National Motos Honda FMA and the second place for Dafy-RAC 41-Honda in Superstock category.
The 2025 World Endurance Championship kicked off this weekend at Le Mans with the 48th edition of the 24 Heures Motos with eleven Honda-powered teams taking part in the opening round.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France secured 8th place after showcasing strong performance and consistency in extremely tricky conditions that caused chaos across the race and resulted in over 120 crashes.
Corentin Perolari, the first rider to take to the handlebars of the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP #5, had a good start from 6th on the grid and completed the first-hour race in second place.
The first part of the race saw a mix of drying track conditions and showers, making tyre choice and staying focused key to getting the most out of the race.
Taiga Hada began his first stint in particularly challenging conditions getting the bike from Alan Techer. The Japanese rider had a small crash but fortunately he could rejoin the race.
During the 7th hour, Hada had another crash while riding in third place. He managed to finish his stint, but when he came into the pits, the team spent about ten minutes checking over the bike.
From that point on, the two French riders took turns through the night. Techer and Perolari set race lap records in the dark, showing the strong performance of the Honda #5 and the riders.
Their efforts throughout the night made the team to get 6 championship points as they crossed in 5th position the 8-hour race.
After entering the battle for the podium with a series of solid laps from Perolari and Techer in the early morning hours, F.C.C. TSR Honda France’s hopes for a podium finish were vanished when Perolari suffered a crash entering the 15-hour race. The team spent over 30 minutes in the pits for repairs, followed by a second stop shortly after the French rider rejoined the race.
At dawn, the Honda #5 was back in 8th place in the EWC class, earning the team 3 points in the intermediate standings after 16 hours of racing.
A light rain alert less than three hours from the finish, followed by a heavy shower two hours later, added even more unpredictability to the end of the race. Both French riders crashed during their final stints, but thanks to the solid lead built through their earlier performance, the team managed to hold their position in the rankings.
Alan Techer crossed the chequered flag in 8th place at the end of an elimination race marked by a record number of crashes.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France leaves Le Mans with 26 points and is determined to come back stronger and fight for a victory at the 8 Hours of Spa Motos, the next round of the 2025 EWC season, will take place in Belgium on June 7, 2025 at the Spa Francorchamps circuit.
Mana-Au Competition started on the 23rd place on the grid and finished 15th overall and 10th in the EWC category with a with a completely new recruits for this season, German riders Marco Fetz and Max Schmidt and the French rider Alexis Lamiré. With this result, the Honda #53 secures 14 points in the FIM Endurance World Championship standings.
Tati team AVA6 racing had a strong start to the weekend, lining up 3rd on the grid thanks to a great qualifying performance on their Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. The team formed by Hugo Clère, Randy Krummenacher and new recruit Martin Renaudin was very happy with their strong race pace and team performance, achieving the best qualifying position since the team moved to the FIM Endurance World Championship.
However, from the very start of the race, the team faced some mechanical issues and despite all the technical crew worked tirelessly and with determination to return the bike to racing condition, the Honda #4 was forced to make the difficult decision to withdraw from the race.
Despite the setback, the Tati team AVA6 racing leaves Le Mans with three points in the championship from their qualifying result and is determined to fight for top positions in the next race.
In Superstock category, National Motos Honda FMA delivered another outstanding victory, riding the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP to triumph after winning the 2024 FIM EWC World Cup.
Swiss rider Valentin Suchet started the race from 7th place in his category.
Despite a promising start, Suchet suffered a minor crash in the opening laps, which dropped the Honda #55 down to 14th place. Fortunately, the incident caused no significant damage, and when Guillaume Raymond took over for his stint, he was able to swiftly bring the team back into podium contention within the opening hours of the race.
By the sixth hour of racing, National Motos Honda FMA took the lead in its category, maintaining a strong pace and consistent stints. As the race entered its final quarter, John Nigon brought the bike into the pits for a scheduled stop during his stint. When Suchet rejoined the track, the team successfully retained its position at the front of the race.
The French team delivered a formidable performance throughout the race, and thanks to the flawless reliability of the Honda #55, combined with avoiding mistakes and keeping the concentration at the highest level possible, Suchet crossed the chequered flag first in the Superstock category, securing an impressive back-to-back victory at the 24 Heures Motos.
Dafy-RAC 41-Honda started in 6th place from the grid in his category with Chris Leesch riding the Honda CBR1000 RR-R Fireblade SP and, with a strong start, quickly moved the Honda #41 up to the second place in his class.
In the final hour, Kevin Manfredi experienced a chain issue, but fortunately, it happened at the exit of Garage Vert so the Italian rider pushed quite a lot to get the bike back in time and return to the track saving the second place.
Thanks to excellent communication between the riders and strong teamwork throughout the race, the team secured a well-earned runner-up position on the Superstock podium.
Alan Techer : “The race wasn’t easy, but what I’ll take away from it are the many positive points. Last year, we didn’t score any points. Today, I think we proved our potential. From the start, Corentin set an excellent pace despite the mixed track conditions. After that, I managed to bring the bike back and we were in the lead after the toughest first 2 hours. The other big positive point is that Corentin and I set a very good pace overnight, despite the fact that we were only racing together from 10pm to 7am. We showed that the bike was fast, that the team was performing well and I think that was reflected in the times. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to get the result we wanted, but I think we’ll be even stronger for the next race at Spa.”
Corentin Perolari : “From the start in the rain, I knew how to be careful and I brought the bike back without making any mistakes, which Alan also did. Taiga was a little slower and during the night we double stinted with Alan. We had a good pace with the slick tyres despite the damp patches. We were very quick at night and throughout the race. Unfortunately, we made a few mistakes at the end. But that’s what happens in racing and there are positive things for the rest of the championship. It was a negative race in terms of the result, but positive in terms of the pace and everything we showed on track and in the pits. Alan was very quick at Spa last year and I love this circuit so we should have a good race.”
Taiga Hada : “It was a very difficult race because the grip on the track changed a lot. I had to deal with conditions that I wasn’t familiar with and it was easy to crash. First it started to rain while I was on slick tyres. The second time, the track had dried out and I crashed with very worn rain tyres. I’m really sorry for the team and my team-mates. It was a very complicated race. I’m now concentrating on the next race at Spa.”
More from a press release issued by Aviobike WRS
The 24 Hours of Le Mans for the Aviobike WRS team comes to an end during the night.
The Aviobike WRS team finishes the Le Mans 24 Hours early, but looks forward to the next races with optimism, thanks to the data collected and the experience gained in this first demanding challenge of a completely new project.
The 24 Heures Motos 2025 opened with unknown weather conditions: a wet start was followed by a light and steady rain that made the first three hours of the race difficult. For Team Aviobike WRS the start was excellent, with two stints by Matteo Ferrari and Luca Bernardi, who managed to get the only Ducati on the track up to seventh position in the Superstock class. The track dried out when Alberto Butti took to the bike and the team opted for slick tyres. With the asphalt first wet and then wet, truly prohibitive conditions for a 24-hour race, there were many teams that fell victim to crashes in the early stages of the race, including the #111, which ended up on the ground twice and was forced to almost an hour’s stop adding up the first and second crashes. Fortunately, there were no physical consequences for Butti, but the mechanics were put to the test. The team guys worked a miracle to get the Panigale V4 back on track before nightfall. When restarted Akito Haga was in the saddle.
Team Aviobike WRS regained its spirit and pace in the second quarter of the race, with all riders leading good stints. Unfortunately, during the tenth hour of the race, with Haga in the saddle and in P28 class, a third crash compromised the race, leading the team to the decision to retire after 257 laps. Although the 24-hour race ended prematurely, the Aviobike WRS team is looking forward to the next races with optimism, given the data collected and the experience gained in this first demanding challenge of a completely new project.
Even though the result, there’s optimism, despite the early retirement. For a young project, almost twelve hours of racing have shown the way forward for growth, with all the bases in place to do well in future competitions. The team demonstrated its ability to overcome the difficulties of a new project, but above all to react to two close crashes, return to the track and stay strong as long as possible, demonstrating the enormous commitment of the whole team.
Giovanni Baggi statement: “Unfortunately our first 24 hours on a Ducati did not go well. We had a bit of a strange day with wet and dry conditions, which affected the progress of the race with three bad crashes that forced us to retire around 2am after 257 laps. I am sorry because it was a superhuman effort from the whole team, including our partners, first and foremost WRS. Unfortunately, these races can be just as wonderful as they can be cruel. This time we end up with a bitter taste in our mouths, but let’s look on the bright side and bring home a lot of data to present ourselves in the best possible way at the next race. The base is good, we have to work hard to become the protagonists we have always been.”