Eupen, Belgium – 10 April 2012: BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent head to Magny-Cours for this weekend’s 76th edition of the Bol d’Or determined to get their 2012 Endurance World Championship campaign off to a flying start. For BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent’s four riders – Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon, Damian Cudlin and Hugo Marchand – the main aim this weekend will be to secure a good result and as many championship points as possible. However, all four riders are confident that they can also fight for the win at Magny-Cours. The team’s first race win in the Endurance World Championship came last season at the 8 Hours of Albacete but, so far, victory in one of the classic 24-hour races has eluded them. However, a positive preseason test program with the 2012 BMW S1000RR combined with a team reinforced by the arrival of technical personnel with vast experience of endurance racing, means that BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent have never been in a better position to secure their first 24-hour race win. The 2012 Bol d’Or gets underway with free practice, first qualification and night practice on Thursday 12th April. Final qualifying takes on Friday 13th April and the race starts at 15.00 on Saturday 14th April. In 2012 the Endurance World Championship will be broadcast in more than 80 countries and across five continents. The showcase events of the championship – the Bol d’Or and the 24 Hours of Le Mans – will be shown live on Motors TV, Sport+ and FIM TV. Damian Cudlin: “It’s been a long off season and I’ve had a few dramas behind the scenes, so for me the Bol d’Or will be the first chance this year to actually get out there and race. I can’t wait to get started with the team because we’re in such good shape. We go into the new season well prepared, with a strong rider line-up, a strong bike in the 2012 BMW S1000RR, good tyres and some solid testing behind us, so we’re ready to race. The saying ‘to finish first, first you must finish’ could have been coined for endurance racing. A lot can happen in 24 hours, but if we can find a good rhythm, avoid any trouble and if lady luck plays her part, then I’m confident we can fight for the win this weekend.” Sébastien Gimbert: “This year we are better prepared than we’ve ever been for the first race of the season. The biggest difference for me this year is with the team. We have added some key people to the team and already we’re benefitting from their experience, with a lot of the small problems that cost us time last year now eliminated. For me this is a big improvement, because it is these small things that stop you winning races. We definitely go into the first race of the season in a strong position, with fast riders, a good bike and another year of experience behind us. We are up against strong competition this weekend, as always, but I’m confident we can run at the front. Yes, this is endurance racing and anything can happen in 24 hours of racing, but we go to the Bol d’Or to win. I always want to win, and this weekend is no exception!” Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal “We know from the pre-Bol d’Or test two weeks ago that we have the pace to win this weekend at Magny-Cours, but we are also aware of what we are up against. There is no tougher test of bike, rider and team than racing for 24 hours, and experience counts for a lot more than it does in sprint races. Last season we were the newcomers, without the experience of the top teams, but this year is different. We’ve worked hard over the winter to eliminate any weak points and we go into the new season stronger than ever. Our main goal is the championship title that we missed out on by the narrowest of margins last season, but we’re also targeting our first 24-hour race win this year. A win this weekend at Magny-Cours would certainly tick both boxes!” More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: 2012 Endurance World Championship: First endurance challenge for the BMW S 1000 RR. The famous 24 Hour “Bol d’Or” race at Magny-Cours sees BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent start its 2012 World Championship campaign. Magny-Cours/Munich, 10th April 2012. Last year BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent narrowly missed out on the Endurance World Championship title, and is thus highly motivated as it goes into this season. After finishing second overall in 2011, the Franco-Belgian team has a clear goal: To win the 2012 World Championship. The new FIM Endurance World Championship season starts next weekend (14th/15th April) with the classic 24 Hour “Bol d’Or” race at Magny-Cours (FRA). The team headed by Team Principal Michael Bartholemy has this year entered the 2012 version of the BMW S 1000 RR. Its rider quartet remains unchanged: The #99 bike will be raced by Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon (both FRA) and Damian Cudlin (AUS), with Hugo Marchand (FRA) listed as reserve. In many areas, BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent enjoys the support of BMW Motorrad HP Race Support in Munich (GER) in its campaign for the world championship. In addition, the team can count on its reliable and proven tyre partner Michelin. After a successful two-day pre-test at Magny-Cours the team is fully prepared for the season, which encompasses the “Bol d’Or” plus four further endurance events: Eight-hour races at Doha (QAT) on 9th June, Suzuka (JPN) on 29th June and Oschersleben (GER) on 11th/12th August, plus a final 24 Hour Race, namely Le Mans (FRA) on 08th/09th September. “I’m quite anxious to get the season started”, says Marcel Driessen, Director BMW Motorrad France. “We lost out by just 30 seconds last year, but this season I think we’ve put together an even more competitive package. We already have one of the fastest rider line ups in the championship and I think that the work put in by Michael Bartholemy and the team over the winter means we go into this season stronger than ever. For BMW this is an important championship and the level of direct technical support we receive from the company’s headquarters in Munich is outstanding. The pre-season tests with the 2012 BMW S 1000 RR have been very promising, with all four riders impressed with the new bike, which is why I’m looking forward to the year ahead with confidence.” “We know from the pre-Bol d’Or test two weeks ago that we have the pace to win this weekend at Magny-Cours, but we are also aware of what we are up against”, Team Principal Michael Bartholemy reports. “There is no tougher test of bike, rider and team than racing for 24 hours, and where experience counts for a lot more than it does in sprint races. Last season we were the newcomers, without the experience of the top teams, but this year is different. We’ve worked hard over the winter to eliminate any weak points and we go into the new season stronger than ever. Our main goal is the championship title that we missed out on by the narrowest of margins last season, but we’re also targeting our first 24-hour race win this year. A win this weekend at Magny-Cours would certainly tick both boxes!” “I can’t wait to get started with the team because we’re in such good shape”, Damian Cudlin comments. “We go into the new season well prepared, with a strong rider line-up, a strong bike in the 2012 BMW S 1000 RR, good tyres and some solid testing behind us, so we’re ready to race. The saying ‘to finish first, first you must finish’ could have been coined for endurance racing. A lot can happen in 24 hours, but if we can find a good rhythm, avoid any trouble and if lady luck plays her part, then I’m confident we can fight for the win this weekend.” “This year we are better prepared than we’ve ever been for the first race of the season”, Sébastien Gimbert adds. “We definitely go into the first race of the season in a strong position, with fast riders, a good bike and another year of experience behind us. We are up against strong competition this weekend, as always, but I’m confident we can run at the front. Yes, this is endurance racing and anything can happen in 24 hours of racing, but we go to the Bol d’Or to win. I always want to win, and this weekend is no exception!” “I am ready to race. I have confidence in the BMW S 1000 RR, in my team mates and in my team, so I’m sure we can start the season strongly at the Bol d’Or”, Erwan Nigon confirms. “Going into this season the objective is to win, every time. But racing is racing and you can’t predict everything. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t, but always you must push for the points if you want to be world champions at the end of the season. And that is what we will do.” “New game, new chance this applies especially after the result of the last endurance season, when the team of BMW Motorrad France was so close to winning the first world championship title for the BMW S 1000 RR”, explains Berthold Hauser, Head of the BMW Motorrad HP Race Support specialist department. “Now we are looking forward to an exciting 2012 season where everybody will start from scratch again with the mission to celebrate title honours. Together with HP Race Support, the endurance team made further improvements on the technical side. Based on last year’s insights, refinements were made in many detailed areas, with reliability playing a major role. Now, we are ready to fight. The whole team is fiercely determined to achieve the goal we missed out on so narrowly last season. We as HP Race Support will make most efforts to contribute our part to a hopefully successful season. The competition is strong, maybe stronger than ever before but we are well prepared for that.”