24 Hours of Le Mans
FIM Endurance World Championship
Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans, France
September 18, 2014
Free Practice Results (wet conditions):
1. Penz13.com Racing Team (Jason PRIDMORE/Sylvain BARRIER/Glenn ALLERTON), BMW S1000RR, OPEN, 1:38.196
2. Honda Racing (Julien DA COSTA/Sebastien GIMBERT/Freddy FORAY/Jason O’HALLORAN), Honda CBR1000RR SP, Superbike, 1:39.002
3. SRC Kawasaki (Gregory LEBLANC/Matthieu LAGRIVE/Fabien FORET/N. SALCHAUD), Kawasaki ZX-10R, Superbike, 1:39.167
4. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (Vincent PHILIPPE/Anthony DELHALLE/Erwan NIGON/Damian CUDLIN), Suzuki GSX-R1000, Superbike, 1:39.474
5. Yamaha Racing – GMT 94 – Michelin (David CHECA/Kenny FORAY/Mathieu GINES/Lucas MAHIAS), Yamaha YZF-R1, Superbike, 1:39.606
6. Monster Energy Yamaha – YART (Broc PARKES/Michael LAVERTY/Sheridan MORAIS/Igor JERMAN), Yamaha YZF-R1, Superbike, 1:39.772
7. Junior Team LMS Suzuki (Baptiste GUITTET/Etienne MASSON/Gregg BLACK/Robin CAMUS), Suzuki GSX-R1000, Superstock, 1:39.944
8. Qatar Endurance Racing Team (Anthony WEST/Alex CUDLIN/Mashel AL NAIMI/Saeed AL SULAITI), Kawasaki ZX-10R, Superstock, 1:40.092
9. National Motos (Valentin DEBISE/Arturo TIZON/Olivier FOUR/Gregory JUNOD), Honda CBR1000RR SP, Superbike, 1:40.674
10. Team R2CL (Gareth JONES/Guy MARTIN/Gwen GIABBANI/V. LEONOV), Suzuki GSX-R1000, Superbike, 1:40.674
25. Team Bolliger Switzerland (Horst SAIGER/Daniel SUTTER/Marc WILDISEN/Gaston GARCIA BLASCO), Kaw ZX-10R, Superbike, 1:43.830
49. Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team (Pedro VALLCANERAS/Steve MERCER/Didier VAN KEYMEULEN/M CPOY), BMW S1000RR, Superstock, 1:53.792
More, from a press release issued by FIM Endurance Press Office:
Penz13.com Racing Team hits the ground running
Open BMW leads Le Mans favourites in free practice
On an initially wet but progressively drier track at Le Mans, a machine entered in the Open category, the BMW #31 of Penz13.com Racing Team, hit the ground running by clocking up the best lap time of the 24 Heures Moto free practice. Ridden by Jason Pridmore, Sylvain Barrier and Glenn Allerton, the BMW roared ahead of the group of factory bikes led by Honda Racing.
On the Bugatti circuit, still wet from a shower this morning, this first practice session was a very close contest. Yamaha Racing GMT 94 Michelin held on to the lead for some time on the wet track. Then, several private teams propelled themselves to the top of the time sheets, among them the Kawasaki Superstock of Team Traqueur Louit Moto 33, which crashed at the very end of the session. Finally, the astonishing BMW of Penz13.com Racing Team made a decisive move to outstrip the factory teams, led by Honda Racing, coming into Le Mans buoyed by its first win at the Oschersleben 8 Hours. Behind the Honda, Team SRC Kawasaki is ahead of the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, Yamaha Racing GMT 94 Michelin and Monster Energy Yamaha YART. The best Superstock teams, Junior Team LMS Suzuki and Qatar Endurance Racing Team, are currently in 7th and 8th position.
With five different makers in the first five places in the free practice, a thrilling race seems sure to follow. The suspense is running high as seven different teams are still in contention for the 2014 World title. Yamaha Racing GMT 94 Michelin will have to hang on to its 21 point lead over Bolliger Team Switzerland (Kawasaki), one of the most experienced private teams, which is just one point ahead of the factory team SRC Kawasaki. Lying 37 points behind the leader, Honda Racing gained a fresh impetus after its first win in the Oschersleben 8 Hours. And reigning FIM Endurance World Champion Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, 47 points adrift of Yamaha Racing GMT 94 Michelin, is still in with a chance, as the winner of the 24 Heures Moto takes 40 points, to which may be added the 10 bonus points awarded to the leader of the intermediate standings 8 and 16 hours into the race.
The first qualifying session starts this afternoon at 17 h and the met office is announcing more stormy showers around that time. The day will end with the night practice. The second qualifying session will take place tomorrow, Friday, starting at 11 h 20. The average of the best times clocked up by the three official riders of the 55 teams will determine the order on the starting grid.
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