Perfect win for F.C.C. TSR Honda France at 24 Heures Motos
Circuit Bugatti, Le MansF.C.C. TSR Honda France started defending the FIM World Endurance Championship with style by winning the 24 Heures Motos that took place at the Bugatti Circuit on 15 and 16 April 2023.
Honda Viltaïs Racing, using the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP for the first time this season, ran strongly too to make it two Honda teams in the top four, whilst Chromeburner-RAC41-Honda took the early lead in the Superstock class until they hit oil on the track.
Honda’s endurance specialists, Josh Hook, Mike Di Meglio and Alan Techer had a perfect race aboard the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP in very tricky weather conditions all weekend.
Immediately after the start, Josh Hook had a racing incident with bike #12 and decided to be cautious at the beginning of the race with very cool track conditions. In the first stint for Mike Di Meglio, the Frenchman took the race lead, managing to keep a great pace and open a small gap.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France took control of the race after four hours with perfect pit stops and constant lap times.
During the night, when the temperatures dropped, the Honda squad was able to use all the potential of the Fireblade and extended the lead, getting ten precious points for the 8th hour leading the race. The three riders were very cautious and stayed focused, not making any mistake, as the track became very slippery with thick fog at Le Mans circuit.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France kept the lead again until the 16 hours of racing and grabbed another ten additional points. Another perfect pit stops from the riders and consistently fast lap times gave the victory to the Honda #1.
During the weekend, the team welcomed back its rider Gino Rea, who also performed a parade lap just before the start of the 24 Heures Motos.
Out of the 65 possible points, F.C.C. TSR Honda France collected 63 points and it is now leading the championship, which gives complete confidence for the next round at 24H SPA Motos that will be held from 16 to 18 June.
Honda Viltaïs Racing qualified the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP on fifth place on the starting grid, and Florian Alt had an excellent start, leading the race during some early laps. The French team was placed in third position at the halfway point of the race, but Alt had a small crash during the safety car's appearance due to oil on the track.
Back to the pit box to fix the bike, the Honda #333 rejoined the race in sixth place by Steven Odendaal.
Thanks to great communication between the riders and the team and faultless reliability of the Fireblade, Honda Viltaïs Racing got fourth place after the 24-hour race, getting a lot of information to improve the package and be stronger for the next race.
Honda Viltaïs Racing impressions after racing first time with Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP are all positive and with the plain confidence to start a new project and prove that the Fireblade is the endurance racing machine to have.
A strong race was ridden by the Italian team Honda No Limits, also racing for the first time with the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP at the FIM EWC. Honda No Limits team was placed almost half of the race amongst the front positions in their category, but while seated in third place, the Frenchman Alexis Masbou had a crash and was obliged to enter the pits. The Fireblade #44 rejoined in sixth place, and with solid laps and no mistakes, the team ended on the podium with third place.
Last year’s Bol d’Or race winner, Chromeburner-RAC41-Honda performed almost a nearly perfect race. The squad aboard the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP #41 had a comfortable start at the beginning of the race, knowing that it would be a race with many mistakes due to the weather conditions in the cold and attacking later during the night to climb their way up.
In the morning, the Honda #41 took the lead in the Superstock class, with a perfect pace and the bike running perfectly, but unfortunately, two hours before the end of the race, Jonathan Hardt had another bike that blew up in front of him and crashed on the oil.
The Fireblade #41 suffered heavy damage, but the team did a fantastic job and fixed the bike in less than 30 minutes and got back on the track in fourth place that kept until the end of the race, a very decent result considering the circumstances and grabbing as maximum points for the championship.
Winners of 24 Heures Motos in 2021, National Motos Honda, started the race in fifth place in the Superstock category and was battling almost all the race in front positions. Unfortunately, Fireblade #55 suffered a crash in the last quarter of the race, bringing their 24-hour race to an end.
We were champions last year without winning a race, but we want to win, we want to show that we are the best, so to win here in the first race of the season is incredible! Congratulations go to the team who have put together a winning package. We couldn't have asked for anything better; the bike was perfect. We were also lucky, but with the work done this winter it is a deserved result. It's not often that you can do a 24-hour race without any problems, neither in the box nor on the track, it's an exceptional day for us.
We were champions last year without winning a race, but we want to win, we want to show that we are the best, so to win here in the first race of the season is incredible! Congratulations go to the team who have put together a winning package. We couldn't have asked for anything better; the bike was perfect. We were also lucky, but with the work done this winter it is a deserved result. It's not often that you can do a 24-hour race without any problems, neither in the box nor on the track, it's an exceptional day for us.
It was a fantastic race. Thanks to my team who worked hard all winter because the bike is perfect and fast right away. It was not an easy race, it was very cold, there were big gaps on track with some riders so we had to stay focused because mistakes could be easy. But we did a great job, the team was really good in the pits and it's great to start the season with a win! But the hardest part is yet to come, to score as many points as possible and keep this number one.
It was a fantastic race. Thanks to my team who worked hard all winter because the bike is perfect and fast right away. It was not an easy race, it was very cold, there were big gaps on track with some riders so we had to stay focused because mistakes could be easy. But we did a great job, the team was really good in the pits and it's great to start the season with a win! But the hardest part is yet to come, to score as many points as possible and keep this number one.
This is the 2nd 24-hour race I've won, for me it's amazing. I won here in 2018 with F.C.C. with the title at the end of the season, so I'm delighted to be on the top step of the podium again. I really want to thank Honda, Fujii San and my teammates for trusting me again, and I hope to win the title again this year!
This is the 2nd 24-hour race I've won, for me it's amazing. I won here in 2018 with F.C.C. with the title at the end of the season, so I'm delighted to be on the top step of the podium again. I really want to thank Honda, Fujii San and my teammates for trusting me again, and I hope to win the title again this year!
