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22nd April 2008: World Endurance: Le Mans 24H
22nd April 2008: Endurance FIM World Championship and World Cup Points and Standings
22nd April 2008: The Race24 Trophy
Race Notes
Race Result SERT 2, SERT 1, Acropolis, Infiniteam, LMS72... SERT Suzuki No.2 (Costes, Dietrich, Veneman) have won the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hour race, finishing 11 laps ahead of their sister team SERT Suzuki No.1 (Philippe, Lagrive, Da Costa). Yamaha Acropolis Moto Expert 99 were third, with Infini Yohana Suzuki fourth and LMS72 Junior Team Suzuki fifth overall and first in the Stocksport class. 
SERT Suzuki No.2 (Costes, Dietrich, Veneman) have won the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hour race
RMT21 Honda were sixth, Kawasaki Bolliger seventh, QERT Suzuki eighth, RT Racing Motovirus Suzuki ninth and Am Moto Suzuki. Seven out of the top ten finishers were Suzuki GSX-R1000s. Folch Endurance Yamaha were 11th after Yamaha Phase One closed to within 24 seconds of them to take 12th place. Yamaha Endurance Moto 38 were 13th, Kawasaki Diablo 666 were 14th, Yamaha LTG57 fifteenth and BMW Motorrad Motorsport No.71 sixteenth overall. Alf's Kawasaki finished in 32nd place. Contrary to prevous reports, the DERT Ducati was still circulating at the end of the race, finishing in 36th place but without completing the required number of laps to score a finish. The No.17 BMW also came out for the final lap. 
Congratulations to everyone who finished the race!
One Hour to Go SERT 2, SERT 1, Acropolis, Infiniteam, LMS72... The LMS72 Suzuki Junior Team have caught and passed RMT21 Honda to take fifth place; RMT21 are now three laps ahead of sixth placed Bolliger Kawasaki. The three way battle between Yamaha Phase One (11th), Folch Yamaha (12th) and Yamaha Endurance Moto 38 (13th) is continuing. All three are on the same lap and the final result looks likely to depend on who has to stop when in the final hour. Diablo 666 are 14th, two laps adrift. 
Yamaha Phase One Endurance - James Haydon
Alf's Kawasaki pushed in about 45 minutes ago but they have now rejoined the race and are in 32nd place. Only 37 teams are still running. Championship Points Don't forget (as if you would) that this year the STK teams don't score points for the Endurance FIM World Championship; they are competing for their own FIM World Cup. Three Hours to Go SERT 2, SERT 1, Acropolis, Infiniteam, RMT21... Ethanol and Explosafe: Bolliger Kawasaki apparently experienced problems with their fuel pump early in the race, after it injested decaying Explosafe foam. Our sources in Northampton inform us that there are two grades of foam available; "yellow" which is intended for use with gasoline but is ok for use with Ethanol based fuels, and "blue" which is designed for Methanol but will tolerate Diesel. This seems to be the only evidence of a problem caused by the switch to E10 fuel. 
Silencers falling of? No problem...
The race order has settled down, apart from a battle between Folch and Phase One as they both fight their way back through the field. Phase One are lapping slightly faster but are over a minute behind Folch, who seem able to respond to the pressure. 
Phase One's James Haydon and manager Russell Benney
On a drying circuit Phase One's James Haydon was the fastest rider on the track, to the delight of team manager Benney: "That's one of the fastest rotas I've seen; it's really put the likes of Pridmore in the shade…" 
RMT21 Honda and the Amazing Flying Front Wheel...
James Hutchins: 21 hours down, 3 to go....
Five Hours to Go SERT 2, SERT 1, Acropolis, Infiniteam, RMT21... Acropolis Yamaha have had a minor crash, riding back to the pits and returning to the race in third place, behind SERT No.1 and race leaders SERT No.2. Folch Yamaha have apparently been suffering axle problems during the night; they have climbed their way back to 12th. The DERT Ducati has retired from the race with a failed gearbox, leaving the No.71 BMW as the only open class runner after the No17 BMW's engine failed during the night. The track is still wet despite the weather having cleared. Bolliger's Horst Saiger: "Our tyres were good in the night when it was wet and cold, but now they are sh*t in these intermediate conditions." Overnight SERT 2, Acropolis, SERT 1, Infiniteam, RMT21... SERT Suzuki No.1 had a big crash at around 4:00am, bringing the pace car out for 20 minutes while the bike was recovered. Is this allowed in the rules? The word in pitlane is that the bike hit a rabbit, but the neither rider nor rabbit is available for comment this morning. SERT No.1 have climbed back to 3rd place but are 16 laps behind the leaders. 
Sunday morning...
Phase One had two crashes during the night. The first was when James Haydon was hit from behind, the bike requiring a new subframe, seat, fairing, tank, footrests, etc. The second involved James McBride and trashed another fairing and footrest. The team are now up to 15th. Diablo are in 14th place, with rider James Hutchins feeling the effects of the weather which has been very wet all night. "Not much fun. The bike was running at about 44 degrees (normal is 70 to 80) and I couldn't feel my hands when I came in. There's a lot of spray even though it's stopped raining. Alf's are in 31st place, Maco Moto have retired with electrical problems, and just 41 teams are still in the running. Hour Seven and Eight SERT 1, SERT 2, Acropolis, Infiniteam, Phase One... The two SERT Suzukis continue to lead, with the fight for third place between Acropils Yamaha, Suzuki Infiniteam and Yamaha Phase One depending on pitstop timing. 
LMS72 Suzuki - 6th place...
The calm weather is also continuing, but no one will be surprised if it rains again, suddenly and heavily. 
Diablo Kawasaki 666 - 17th place...
Next update, Sunday morning… Hour Five and Six SERT 1, SERT 2, Phase One, Folch, Infiniteam... SERT Suzuki No.1 still lead the race; they are now almost one minute ahead of SERT No.2. 
Another perfect pitstop for SERT...
Yamaha Phase One have consolidated third place, with Folch Yamaha moving up to fourth ahead of Infiniteam Suzuki. 
Phase One pushing hard to stay in third place...
Yamaha Austria are out of the race after failing to stem their oil leak. Team manager Mandy Kainz: "I didn't want to risk the riders any further, so we decided to stop." Yamaha GMT94's problem was a destroyed clutch centre, part of which punched its way out through the clutch cover. And there's more trouble in the Yamaha camp for Maco Moto, who are suffering overheating problems. 
Maco Moto overheating...
The two BMWs are 15th and 17th; the No.71 bike arrived for a pitstop at while the No.17 machine was being refuelled, and had to wait for it to clear the pit area. Diablo are in 23rd place but lapping faster than most of the teams outside the top 10. Alf's Kawasaki are up to 30th. 
It's not all rain, rain, rain
Hour Three and Four SERT 1, SERT 2, Phase One, Infiniteam, Folch... SERT Suzuki No.1 are about 30 seconds ahead of their sister team SERT No.2. Yamaha Phase One are two laps down but have just moved ahead of Infiniteam Suzuki to take third place. Folch Yamaha are fifth, AM Moto sixth, Acropolis seventh and Maco Moto eighth. Yamaha GMT94 are out of the race. Sebastien Gimbert ran off the track after his engine died, and he then returned to the pits without the bike; game over. 
GMT94's Sebastien Gimbert returns to the pits without the bike...
Yamaha Austria had rejoined the race after Igor Jerman's crash, but pitted again with an oil leak from the right hand side crank cover; the team suspect it was this leak which caused the first crash. 
Yamaha Austria back in the box...
Diablo are up to 29th place and making their way through the midfield pack, as are Alf's Kawasaki in 39th place. Julian Mazuecos, the rider who crashed the Team Kawasaki France bike so spectacularly in the heavy rain shower just after the start, is remarkably unhurt: "That corner is the fastest part of the track, and it was the first place that the rain hit. I was wearing a dark visor so I couldn't see that the track was wet. The back tyre just let go instantly and then the bike highsided." James Haydon seems to have settled into endurance racing very easily after his first stint on the bike: "Obviously it was a difficult choice of tyres, but I thought we made the right decision. It was a bit difficult at first; I went off-line once and had to run it wide which cost a few seconds but other than that I didn't make any mistakes. One of the factory Suzukis ran me wide; came underneath me and just pushed me wide, but apart from that I just tried to get into a good rhythm." 
...while for everyone else the race goes on.
Hour Two GMT94, SERT 2, SERT 1, Inifiteam, Phase One... Yamaha GMT94 have taken the lead after the first round of scheduled pit stops, pulling out a lead on second placed SERT 2 and third placed SERT 1. The sun has come out and the track is drying, with lap times falling into the 1:41s. Yamaha Austria crashed out just after four o'clock, with Igor Jerman eventually pushing the bike back to the pits. Alf's Kawasaki crashed at the same time but appear to be backing in the running. An update on YART will follow shortly. Yamaha Phase One are up to 5th place, with Maco Moto Yamaha in seventh. Diablo have dropped to 39th after a crash by Michael Weynand but are making their way back through the pack. And finally… The Sapeurs Pompiers Suzuki - the French Fire Brigade team - crashed and caught fire, the bike refusing to be put out despite the best efforts of a marshal with a fire extinguisher. Start and First Hour SERT No.2, Yamaha GMT94, SERT No.1, YART, Acropolis... The sun came out, the track dried and the opening laps of the race were closely fought between the two SERT Suzukis, Yamaha GMT94 and Kawasaki France. 
The Le Mans start
After ten minutes heavy rain started to fall. Kawasaki France were the first casualty, with Mazuecos crashing heavily at the Dunlop chicane as he pulled away from the chasing pack. The rest of the teams quickly pitted for rain tyres, but Kawasaki France's race appears to be over. SERT No2 are leading, ahead of GMT94, SERT No.1, Yamaha Austria and Acropolis Yamaha. Diablo Kawasaki timed their switch to rain tyres perfectly and at one stage were up to fifth place, but a minor crash dropped them down the field at the end of the first hour. Yamaha Phase One and Maco Moto Yamaha also benefited from the rain shower, with Phase One in 9th place and Maco Moto in 8th after the first hour. The two BMW Motorrad bikes are in 13th and 14th place, having qualified towards the back of the grid, while National Motos Honda didn't even get to see the rain, falling on the first lap.
18th April 2008: World Endurance: Le Mans 24H
18th April 2008: World Endurance: Le Mans 24H
18th April 2008: World Endurance: Le Mans 24H
18th April 2008: World Endurance: Le Mans 24H
17th April 2008: World Endurance: Le Mans 24H
17th April 2008: World Endurance: Le Mans 24H
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16th April 2008: World Endurance: Le Mans 24H
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2007 Le Mans 24 Hour
26th April 2007: Le Mans 24H Race Review
22nd April 2007: Le Mans 24H Race Blog
17th April 2007: Le Mans 24H Race Preview
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Le Mans 24 Hour Race Results in Full
FIM Points and Standings
Race24 Trophy Points and Standings
Warm Up: SERT 1 Crash, Honda No.55 3rd
Eurosport Broadcast Schedule
Final Qualifying: SERT No.1 Hold First Place
Night Sessions Wet - More Musical Chairs
First Qualifying: SERT No.1, GMT94, Kawa 11 
Free Practice - GMT94, Kawasaki France Fight For Lead
Le Mans 24H: Provisional Weekend Schedule
Le Mans Open Sessions: GMT94 and SERT Fast
Le Mans 24 Hour - 10 Day Weather Forecast
Pre-Le Mans: Kawasaki France Unofficially Fastest
Musical Chairs – The Word from Jason Pridmore
Musical Chairs – The Word from Wokka
Rumour Mill Grinds On – This Just In From Maco Moto
Le Mans - GMT94 Get Plater – YART Get Four 
Le Mans 24H to use 10% Ethanol Fuel 
Le Mans 24H Race Review|
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