| | | | Motorcycle Endurance 2007 – A tough season is coming |  Written: 19/04/2007 : 15:07. Read 1688 times (4/day). | | The integrality of this filed article is for Premium Members. | The French Suzuki team directed by Dominique Méliand, current double world champion, start its 2007 season this weekend at Le Mans. The Aim is to win at home win the championship for the third time.
But the contenders are here and tough, with the come back of Kawasaki (directed by Cristophe Bourgeois) which won 5 titles between 1991 and 2001, and also Yamaha GMT 94 of Christophe Guyot, which only participate to french races.
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This year under the control of the FIM, and sponsored by the motor sport federation of Qatar (QMMF), the Motorcycle World Endurance championship will start with 20 teams (permanent), 5 different manufacturers and 19 different rider's nationalities.
The most prestigious races are the 24 hours of Le Mans (21-22 april), The 24hours of Oschersleben
in Germany (11-12 august), and the Bol D'Or at Magny Cours (16-17 september).
But it will be also the 8 hours of Suzuka (29 july), the 8 hors of Losail (10 november) and the six hours of Albacete in Spain may 5.
Based in Le Mans, the SERT (Suzuki Endurance Racing Team) of Meliand first wants to win the 24h. Race that they did not won from the past two years. The N°1 bike will be ridden by Julien Da Costa, Matthieu Lagrive and Vincent Philippe.
The number 2 bike will be ridden by William Costes, Guillaume Dietrich and the German Max Neukirchner, substtitute of Keeichi Kitagawa.
For Christian Bourgeois, who hired again the most iportant mebers of his former winning team for three years, Kawasaki aims « the best position ». « We have only one bike, but it is very reliable. It showed it last year at the Bol D'Or. ».
Brittons Steeve Platter, Scott Smart (Barry Sheen's nephew), Gwen Giabbani will race with the green bike. They will participae to all the races except Suzuka.
Then for the Christophe Guyot's Team, 1994 World Champion and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2001 and 2005, the main change is the tyre supplier, now Dunlop, and the bike will be ridden bi David Checa, Sebastien Gimbert and Olivier Four.
So notice that the Qatar, even his great financial participation will be engaged with a Team.
The riders of the Kawasaki n°95, Jose Luis Cardoso and Ivan Silva,
will help the Qatarians Mohamed A.J. Al Naimi and Ahmed Ibrahim M.A. Hassan, they could make some surprises at Home in Losail, or in Albacete in Spain.
By Paul DEFOSSEUX (AFP) ...
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