FIM Endurance World Championship | |
---|---|
Venue | Circuit Bugatti |
Location | 47°56′30″N0°13′30″E / 47.94167°N 0.22500°E |
First race | 1978 |
Last race | 2024 |
Duration | 24 hours |
Most wins (driver) | Alex Vieira (5) Grégory Leblanc (5) |
Most wins (manufacturer) | Suzuki, Kawasaki, Honda (14) |
The 24 Heures Motos (often called in English the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race) is a motorcycle endurance race held annually since 1978 on the Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans, Sarthe, France. The race is organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and is part of the Endurance FIM World Championship.
When the Bol d'Or moved from Bugatti Circuit to Circuit Paul Ricard at the end of 1977, the ACO created the 24 Heures Moto. [1] The race became one of "the classics" of endurance racing along with the 24 Hours of Liège, the 8 Hours Of Suzuka, and the Bol d'Or.
At the end of 2001, the three 24 Hour classic races (Le Mans, Liège and the Bol d'Or) withdrew from the Endurance World Championship to create the Master of Endurance. Le Mans returned to the Endurance FIM World Championship in 2006.
Free practice sessions, 1st qualifying practice sessions (in groups) and night practice sessions
2nd qualifying practice sessions (in groups), superpole
Warm-up session. 3.00 PM Le Mans start. NOTE: The traditional Le Mans start, abolished in 1970 for automobiles, is still used for motorcycles.
3.00 pm, finish of the race followed by the prize-giving ceremony
Wins | Manufacturer |
---|---|
15 | Suzuki |
14 | Kawasaki |
Honda | |
4 | Yamaha |
Endurance racing is a form of motorsport racing which is meant to test the durability of equipment and endurance of participants. Teams of multiple drivers attempt to cover a large distance in a single event, with participants given a break with the ability to change during the race. Endurance races can be run either to cover a set distance in laps as quickly as possible, or to cover as much distance as possible over a preset amount of time.
David Checa is a Spanish professional motorcycle road racer. He is four time FIM Endurance World Champion, winning the title in 2004, 2014, 2016–17 and 2018–19. In 2016 he was the French Superbike Champion. He previously competed for two years in the Superbike World Championship. He currently competes in the FIM Endurance World Championship aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R and the RFME Superstock 1000 Championship aboard a Yamaha YZF-R1. He's a triple winner of the 24 Hours Moto of Le Mans endurance race, in 2005 and 2017 on Yamaha and in 2019 with Kawasaki. He also won the Bol d'Or 24-hour motorcycle endurance race twice on Circuit Paul Ricard. In 2007 and 2017 both on a Yamaha.
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, sometimes abbreviated to ACO, is the largest automotive group in France. It was founded in 1906 by car building and racing enthusiasts, and is most famous for being the organising entity behind the annual Le Mans 24 Hours race. The ACO also lobbies on behalf of French drivers on such issues as road building and maintenance, the availability of driving schools and road safety classes, and the incorporation of technical innovations into new vehicles. It also runs a roadside assistance service for its members.
The Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, also known as Circuit de la Sarthe located in Le Mans, Sarthe, France, is a semi-permanent motorsport race course, chiefly known as the venue for the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race. Comprising private, race-specific sections of track in addition to public roads which remain accessible most of the year, its present configuration is 13.626 km (8.467 mi) long, making it one of the longest circuits in the world. The capacity of the race stadium, where the short Bugatti Circuit is situated, is 100,000. The Musée des 24 Heures du Mans is a motorsport museum located at the main entrance of the venue.
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