The endurance teams have intensified the training of their drivers in order to improve their competitiveness throughout the winter tests. So expect thrilling moments and a fierce fight next April at the 24 Heures Motos, the second round of the 2017-2018 FIM EWC season.
This began with the Bol d'Or last September. The reigning champion, the team Yamaha GMT94 actually won this race. David Checa, Mike Di Meglio et Niccolò Canepa will therefore logically once again be the favorites for the 24 Heures Motos in April, but their rivals are also preparing for this first clash of 2018.
Even if the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, YART Yamaha, Honda Endurance Racing et FCC TSR Honda France refine the preparation and performance of their regular drivers, other teams have raised the level of their ambitions, recruiting new drivers and strengthening their training programs. For example, the team SRC Kawasaki, who have now announced that they will race the entire season in pursuit of the world title. The French team led by Gilles Stafler has set up a new crew bringing together Randy de Puniet, Mathieu Gines, Jérémy Guarnoni et Morgan Berchet.
Le Team Bolliger Switzerland (Kawasaki) also brought in new blood. Robin Mulhauser, Sébastien Suchet et Roman Stamm now form the Swiss team. After having made its mark on Endurance for almost 25 years, the private team is now ready to tease the official teams.
AMSS TRB ViDra Team Serbia has also undergone some modifications. The YART Yamaha-supported team has unveiled a new line-up of riders for the 24 Heures Motos, with Sheridan Morais, Marko Jerman, Brandon Cretu et Dalibor Miletic.
After driving a Honda for a year, the Team April Moto Motors Events returns to the Suzuki fold and has confirmed its usual trio of riders: Mathieu Lagrive, Baptiste Guittet et Grégory Fastré. The April Moto Motors Events team has won the FIM Superstock World Cup twice, in 2011 and 2013, and finished in third place in the 2016 FIM EWC championship, on a Suzuki.
Superstock
After crossing the finish line of the Bol d'Or in 3rd position in the Superstocks behind the Tati Team Beaujolais Racing and Team 33 Accessories Louit Moto, Junior Team Le Mans Sud Suzuki will welcome a brand new team to the 24 Heures Motos du Mans, made up of Louis Rossi, Hugo Clere et Alex Sarrabayrouse. If they manage to get on the podium at the 24 Heures Motos, the men of Junior Team Le Mans Sud Suzuki will likely take part in the two remaining races of the Superstock season, the 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring and the 8 Hours of Oschersleben, to attempt to win the FIM Superstock World Cup.
