YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL PREPARES FOR EWC TITLE DEFENCE
The Yoshimura Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) Motul lines up for the 2022 Endurance World Championship (EWC) as reigning World Champion. It heads to the opening round at Le Mans on the 16th of April fully motivated to defend its championship title.
The successful rider coupling of Gregg Black, Sylvain Guintoli and Xavier Simeon return with the same confidence-boosting team set-up and management that supported them throughout the 2021 season and, of course, the world championship-winning Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Suzuki is no stranger to EWC triumph, having won 20 championships in the discipline, 17 of which have been achieved by SERT, one of them was obviously as Yoshimura-SERT. Following that reign, and in its very first year of EWC participation, the Yoshimura SERT Motul collaboration dominated both 24-hour events in 2021 – the 24-Heures Motos and the Bol d’Or – to secure an emphatic championship victory and continue the Suzuki EWC success story.
A five-round EWC series is planned for 2022 with 24-hour events at the familiar Le Mans and Paul Ricard circuits in France, while the iconic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium features on the EWC calendar for the first time since 2001. The Suzuka 8 Hours in Japan – Yoshimura’s ‘home’ event – is also confirmed, and one other race event venue is still to be announced.
Having proved its strength and determination in 2021, Yoshimura SERT Motul has a solid platform from which to build as it launches into what is poised to be an ultra-competitive 2022 Endurance World Championship season.
Shinichi Sahara, Project Leader and Department Group Manager: “I am very happy that Suzuki can race in the 2022 EWC with the strong team structure of Yoshimura SERT Motul. I am expecting the team will fight every race, not just with the mindset of defending the title, but with the challenging spirit to become stronger, and I look forward to the team’s success.
“I would like to thank Team Director Yohei Kato and Team Manager Damien Saulnier for their knowledge, experience, and passion, and wish the Suzuki GSX-R1000R and riders all the best in achieving full performance in the season ahead.
“I am confident that Yoshimura SERT Motul and Suzuki are ready to add another glorious page to the Suzuki racing history book.”
Yohei Kato, Team Director: “The newly united Yoshimura SERT Motul team was able to grab the EWC Championship title after winning at both the Le Mans and Bol d’Or 24 Hours race events in 2021.
“We are delighted that we can continue with the same rider line-up as last year, and we will be able to progress further with the riding trio of Gregg Black, Xavier Simeon and Sylvain Guintoli in the 2022 season. Our development team in Japan has worked hard over the past year and our Suzuki GSX-R1000R is ready to defend its championship title backed with new resources.
“In this, our second year, we pledge to further strengthen the combination of Yoshimura, Suzuki, and SERT of France, and to race with pride as a Suzuki factory team and as World Champions.
“We would also like to provide ‘excitement, emotion and empathy’ to people around the world through Yoshimura SERT Motul’s involvement with racing in the Endurance World Championship.”
Damien Saulnier, Team Manager: “The Yoshimura SERT Motul Team is a pairing of endurance experience and racing parts development expertise. The merger between Yoshimura and SERT was successful with a first World Championship title. It is an honour for me to be part of this page of their motorcycle history.”
Sylvain Guintoli: “For 2022 the objective remains the same, winning! This year we have more experience of working together so we will be even stronger. I am really looking forward to the start of the season at the Le Mans 24 Hour on April 16th, also to race 24 Hours on the fantastic track of Spa Francorchamps, the new venue on the calendar. Hopefully we will also go back to Suzuka because that’s a major target for me and the event has been cancelled for the past two years. Let’s race!”
Gregg Black: “2021 has been an incredible season with the two biggest wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hour Bol d’Or. To finally be titled for a second consecutive time meant we achieved all the objectives, and I am very happy.
“For 2022, we still have work to do and a few areas to improve, but I have confidence in our team and bike. The team and teammates will remain the same and that will be our strength. We will once again have a lot of competitors and we are the team to beat. I am very happy to again be a part of this incredible team and I am extremely motivated to give the maximum to acquire victory together.”
Xavier Simeon: “We had a very good year in 2021, achieving two important victories in the 24 Hour races and the world title, but now it is 2022 and we start from zero again. Everybody in the team and the riders have worked hard during the winter to improve any weak points. It will be difficult as always, but we do have a great team with Gregg, Sylvain and me; we always share comments and feelings about the bike, and we will give the maximum to keep the number one on the Suzuki.”
2022 EWC Calendar:
16th April: Round 1 – 24 Heures Motos, France
4th June: Round 2 – 24H Spa EWC Motos, Belgium
7th August: Round 3 – Suzuka 8 Hours, Japan
17th September: Round 4 – Bol d’Or, France
Round 5: To Be Announced …
