Yoshimura SERT Motul showed formidable strength in winning today’s Endurance World Championship 24 Heures Motos opener at Le Mans in France after a faultless performance. Reigning World Champions Suzuki had already shown great potential in qualifying, setting the second fastest time. In today’s race Gregg Black took the holeshot and led by the end of the first lap after being passed early on in the lap. The first hours of the race were marked by a fierce fight for first place as the team put pressure on their rivals from the start. From then on, the Suzuki was firmly in control of the race and earned a 10-point bonus awarded to the leader at the eighth hour of the race.

The three riders Black, Xavier Siméon and Sylvain Guintoli kept a very high pace during the whole night whereas the technical team ensured very quick pit stops. Leader since the third hour of the race, the Franco-Japanese team did not make any mistakes and concluded a perfect race with a brilliant victory eight laps ahead of the second place. The team recorded a total of 855 laps and took 24 pitstops. Adding up the bonuses in qualifying and then at the eighth and 16 hours of racing, added to the 40 points for victory and Yoshimura SERT Motul leaves the Bugatti Circuit with a total of 64 points. Leading the 2021 FIM EWC World Championship standings by a wide margin, the Suzuki will start the second round of the season on July 17th at the 12 Hours of Estoril, Portugal as the favourite.

Damien Saulnier – SERT Team Manager:

“Suzuki is back to winning at Le Mans, a mythical race, and this is a huge satisfaction. We are at the beginning of a great adventure with Yoshimura and our association is already working perfectly. Yoshimura’s experience in 8-hour races and SERT’s experience in 24-hour races means that we can be fast and durable. The package also works thanks to Suzuki’s development work, the quality of the Bridgestone tyres and of course the consistency of our riders.”

Yohei Kato – Yoshimura Team Director:

“It’s a victory for Yoshimura, for the SERT but also for Suzuki. It’s an honour to represent this brand and a great responsibility. We had a lot of pressure on our shoulders but the success at the 24 Heures Motos is a reward for our work. We had worked a lot beforehand to prepare for the race and the whole team was looking forward to the result. So this nice victory is very important. The SERT gave us the number 1, the aim is clearly to keep it in 2021 in this very competitive and rewarding championship.

“It was a really special moment to win the Le Mans 24H race, and I don’t know how to express my feelings. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our plans were rescheduled since the project was started and it was not so easy until we came here.
“However, our four riders and team crews did a perfect job through the weekend and we got a valuable victory because of everyone’s efforts. The Suzuki GSX-R1000 has been strong and reliable and it made the whole race really smooth. We had no issues today and we really had a perfect race.

“It would not have been possible without the great support from Suzuki and our sponsors. Also, our partnership between SERT and Yoshimura worked well. We will try our best to stay strong during the rest of the season and I hope we come back to Le Mans again and race with the great spectators next time!”

Gregg Black:

“I’ve been chasing a win at Le Mans for years. Here it is at last ! I am really happy and I thank the whole team for their excellent work during the whole week. The competition in the EWC is very strong. At the beginning of the season we were wondering where we would be. But right from the start of the test, the team proved that it was up to the task. The work done by everyone during the winter is paying off immediately. In addition, the understanding with my team mates is perfect. In endurance racing, this is a major asset.”

Xavier Siméon:

“My father was a SERT rider a few years ago. So this victory has a very special taste for me because it is the only race that was missing from his prize list. I am very happy with this victory and this race without any problem. But the championship has only just begun. There are other races on the schedule. Gregg Black won the Bol d’Or last year, I hope we can repeat that this year. I also hope that in 2022 we can add Spa to the team’s list of achievements.”

Sylvain Guintoli:

“The collaboration between SERT and Yoshimura is already bearing fruit. They are entities I have worked with in the past and we got along very well. These forces are now combined and the association is working perfectly well. With Gregg and Xavier, we are committed to winning. And here in Le Mans, we had an almost perfect race. It’s like a dream come true.”