The FCC TSR Honda France team 3rd in the 24 2022 Hours of Le Mans Motorcycles!
The official Honda #5 takes the 3rd step of the podium for the 24 2022 Heures Motos at the end of a solid race. With 49 points acquired during this opening round, the Franco-Japanese team leaves Le Mans in 3rd place in the world endurance championship.
After very promising qualifying, the FCC TSR Honda France team started on Saturday at 15 p.m. from 3rd position on the starting grid.
The #5 Honda avoided the main pitfalls of this 45th edition of the 24 Heures Motos, punctuated by several safety car interventions.
A collision just before the Dunlop curve on the first lap disrupted the start of the race, the first 8 laps of which were completed under a safety car.
French rider Mike di Meglio, who was again entrusted with the delicate task of taking the start, distinguished himself by placing the Honda CBR1000RR-R in the lead straight out of the safety car and completed his first stint at 2nd place.
We witness a superb duel between the two leaders who exchange positions several times per lap, quickly relegating 3rd to more than 2 seconds.
For his first stint in this official team, Gino Rea made a very quick start to the race, seizing the race lap record, i.e. 1.36.840 to cover the 4,185 km of the Bugatti circuit. The fastest rider on the track, he regained control and managed to open up a gap of 3 seconds before handing over the handlebars to Josh Hook. The Australian also achieved an excellent performance and increased the lead to 8 seconds at the next refueling stop.
Benefiting from the best top speed on the field, crew #5 continues the rapid laps, until it is half a lap ahead of its pursuer. Mike di Meglio took the opportunity to set a new track record in 1'36'801 after 7 hours of racing. The coolness of the night, appreciated by men and machines, allows the Honda CBR1000RR-R to regularly remain the fastest on the track.
The Franco-Japanese team, however, was struck a little later by the harsh law of endurance. Some recurring mechanical problems forced the Honda #5 to let the lead slip away during the night. She was in 3rd place at daybreak, 5 laps behind the leader.
Despite the gaps in the rankings, the leading trio found themselves wheel to wheel, offering a breathtaking spectacle to the spectators who came in large numbers after two years of competition behind closed doors.
Despite fatigue, the drivers of the #5 Honda are frequently the fastest on the track, but a fall by Gino Rea results in an 11-minute intervention in the box. Without impact on the position, this error now puts the leader behind by 5 to 11 laps. From then on, the FCC TSR Honda France drivers aimed to secure the podium and maintain the gaps. Leading at the 8th hour of the race and 3rd at the 16th hour, the team collected 18 intermediate points which are added to the 3 points awarded for qualification. By crossing the finish line in 3rd place, the team leaves Le Mans with 49 points, which positions it 3rd in the provisional FIM EWC ranking.
The next round of the 2022 FIM EWC championship will take place on the Belgian circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, which will host the 24 Heures Motos de Spa on June 4 and 5.
Josh Hook – driver: « It was a very difficult race. The Yamaha and Suzuki had extremely fast pace. We also probably had the pace to win, but we had a few problems that put us a little behind. Despite everything, we can be satisfied with this result, because we took valuable points for the championship. »
Gino Rea – driver: « This podium is a great way to start in this new team. There were some very good things during these 24 Hours Motorcycles, such as leading the race with a one-minute lead, and others which could have been costly. We are lucky to have been able to maintain this 3rd place until the finish. But overall it was a very positive experience. I'm very happy, we're taking big points and we have a very good pace. »
Mike Di Meglio – driver: « It's a good result for the championship, because there are a lot of points to recover over the three 24-hour races. Of course, he is a little disappointed because I think victory was within our reach. We showed what we are capable of. The bike is competitive, my teammates too and the team did a great job during the pit stops. I can't wait for the next race to get our revenge. »
Masakazu Fujii – Team Manager: « It's a good race, but it was very difficult for us. Our advantage this year is to have carried out very good winter preparation and to have carried out tests in Almeria which allow us to be today among the three best teams in the field. We have accumulated many points for the championship over these 24 hours. Thank you to all our partners and supporters. »
