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Oct 12
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Yoshimura Sert Wins FIM Endurance World Championship Title on Bridgestone Tires

By General Posts

Yoshimura Sert Motul Wins the FIM Endurance World Championship Title, the World’s Foremost Series of Endurance Motorcycle Races, on Bridgestone Tires

  • Bridgestone is proud to celebrate YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL’s FIM Endurance World Championship title.
  • After a dominant season, YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL became the second team to win the title on Bridgestone tires since 2018.
  • Since 2017, Bridgestone has supplied tires for teams competing in the FIM Endurance World Championship.

Tokyo (October 10, 2021) ― Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) today announced that YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL won the FIM*1 Endurance World Championship (EWC) title, the world’s foremost series of endurance motorcycle races, on Bridgestone tires. YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL is the second team to win EWC title on Bridgestone tires since 2018.

Since 2017, Bridgestone has supplied tires for teams competing in the EWC. As one of three teams on Bridgestone tires, YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL earned first place in two 24-hour races this season. Going into the year’s final race, 6 Hours of Most in the Czech Republic (October 9), the team held the overall points lead and maintained the lead with third-place finish – earning the 2021 EWC title outright.

“I am very pleased and honored to win the championship in the first year of participation as YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL by using Bridgestone tires,” said Yohei Kato, Team Director of YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL. “We vowed to fight in this Endurance World Championship on behalf of the Suzuki Factory Team, and this season has proved to be a dream come true by winning two of the world’s most famous 24-hour races, namely, the 24 Heures of Le Mans and the Bol d’Or.The whole team has been respecting each other in the spirit of “One for all, all for one”, and we will keep working together to improve the Suzuki GSX-R1000R into an even better package. Thank you to all the sponsors, partners and fans who warmly supported the YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL this year. We pledge to attract everyone to an even better championship next year and YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL will go all out to defend its title.”

“I would like to congratulate all of the members of YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL on their EWC title,” said Masato Banno, Senior Vice President and Executive Officer, Global CTO (Global Chief Technology Officer), Bridgestone Corporation. “YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL won both the Le Mans and Bol d’Or 24-hour endurance races, two of the toughest races in the series and showed why they deserved to be champion. Bridgestone is very proud to have contributed to their series championship in our first year as a team partner by supplying highly durable tires. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the many motorsports fans who supported us and to all the teams who worked so hard and cooperated in tire development. We will continue to refine our technology and support motorsports from the ground up through the development and supply of high-performance tires.”

The Bridgestone Group is implementing its Mid Term Business Plan (2021 – 2023)*2, which aims to realize its vision to provide social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company toward 2050. To further enhance, the development of Dan-Totsu (the clear and absolute leader) products in the tire business, which is its core business, the group will continue to improve its technologies through motorsports, requiring maximum performances of tires. As an active member supporting the advancement of mobility society, the Bridgestone Group will continue to contribute to the automotive industry and motorsports culture by engaging in a wide range of motorsports with sustainability.

FIM stands for Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme

About Bridgestone Corporation: Bridgestone is a global leader in tires and rubber building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Tokyo, the company employs approximately 140,000 people globally and conducts business in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.

May 16
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Unlucky end to French Grand Prix for Lowes and Fernandez

By General Posts

Both Elf Marc VDS Racing Team riders crashed out of promising positions in the early laps at Le Mans after showing podium potential in tricky conditions.

After heavy rain through the morning, the 2.6-mile Le Mans Bugatti Circuit was soaking wet for Sunday’s warm-up sessions, but dried sufficiently to give riders a clear tyre choice ahead of the 25-lap Moto2 race.

All the field ran slick tyres on a track with numerous wet patches, providing a real challenge for the field. Both Augusto Fernandez and Sam Lowes unfortunately crashed out when fighting for the podium places.

Augusto Fernandez – DNF
Starting from fifth, his best qualifying result of the season so far, Augusto enjoyed a fantastic first lap, gaining two places to sit third.

But there was heartbreak for the rider from the Balearic Islands on the second lap, when he crashed out of a podium place at turn 11 when hitting a damp patch.

As a result of a second DNF of the year, Augusto drops three places in the championship to twelfth with 23 points to his name.

“We will work to arrive stronger in Mugello”

“It was a real shame again. I was so calm at the beginning, trying to not make a mistake like at Jerez. I had a great start and when (Joe) Roberts passed me, I passed him back. At the beginning there were some wet patches. I went just a little bit wide and touched one wet part with the front and lost it so soon. I couldn’t do anything. We have to take the positives. It’s been a fantastic weekend in all the practice sessions, be it in mixed conditions, wet conditions, or dry conditions. I had the pace to win and now I know we can be there every weekend at every track. The Aragon test was really positive and this weekend we’ve seen evidence of that. Now we have a test in Barcelona so we can continue working to arrive stronger in Mugello.”

Sam Lowes – DNF
The 30-year old enjoyed a solid start and held position in the opening laps from tenth place on the grid and then upped his pace, posting a personal best time on lap three.

But Lowes suffered a fall on the fourth lap of the race when attempting to overtake Xavi Vierge for 7th at turn 8. The Briton crashed when losing the front and was unable to restart.

The result means Lowes drops a place to fourth in the world championship with 66 points, 23 behind leader Remy Gardner.

“I’ll take the positives to come out stronger in Mugello”

“I’m really disappointed. I want to say sorry to the team and to Vierge for the accident. I was passing him, I felt OK and that the move was possible. Another rider was wide ahead of us so that meant there was no margin to go wide when overtaking. This might have made me squeeze the brake a little more so I lost the front and then my bike took him down. I’m sorry for that and to my team as we threw away a great opportunity with our speed. But I’ll take the positives to come out stronger in Mugello. It’s nice we go back there after missing it last season. It’s a track that we all enjoy and love to ride. I can’t wait to get there and put this race behind me.”