The 2013 season of the FIM Endurance World Championship promises to be another exciting trip. The first stop is the Bol d’Or at Magny Cours on 20 and 21 April. This 24 hour race is expected to draw 51 teams including 29 permanent crews who will fight it out for the title in Formula EWC, the premium class, and in Superstock for the FIM Endurance World Cup.

As 2012 FIM Endurance World Champion and holder of 12 world titles, the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) is still the team to beat. Dominique Méliand, team manager of the SERT, is fielding a stellar trio of riders. Julien Da Costa, former linchpin of the official SRC Kawasaki team, winner of the Bol d’Or and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2012, will be joining the formidable duo, Vincent Philippe and Anthony Delhalle. The SERT’s fourth man will be Alex Cudlin of Australia.

SERT may be the pre-season favourites but the factory teams are up for the fight. BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent is regrouping after losing Erwan Nigon and Damian Cudlin to the German Superbike Championship. The Belgian factory team will be relying on the trusty Sébastien Gimbert, and team manager Michael Bartholemy has signed up reinforcements in the form of Sylvain Barrier, winner of the 2012 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup, Karl Muggeridge, back after several brilliant seasons in IDM, and AMA Superbike star Jake Zemke.

At Yamaha France GMT 94 Michelin Yamalube, they are sticking with their winning line-up. Christophe Guyot has recruited Maxime Berger as a substitute alongside David Checa, Matthieu Lagrive and Kenny Foray. In contrast, at Monster Energy Yamaha YART, Igor Jerman and Katsuyuki Nakasuga are being joined on the Austrian Yamaha by Broc Parkes and Josh Waters from Australia. At Honda TT Legends, John McGuinness and Simon Andrews will be supported by two more TT specialists, Michael Dunlop and Michael Rutter.


The SRC Kawasaki has made up for the loss of Julien Da Costa by signing two riders who made their mark in the Superbike World Championship and the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup, Loris Baz and Jérémy Guarnoni. But the SRC will be only be fielding its crew in the Bol d’Or and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Private team Team Bolliger Switzerland remains the best looking Kawasaki among the permanent teams.

Among the privateers, though, several teams have serious ambitions. Team R2CL (Suzuki) has signed up specialists Gwen Giabbani and Guillaume Dietrich alongside Dylan Buisson while FMA Assurances is entrusting its Honda to Gregg Black, Marc Fissette and Allard Kerkhoven. Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers is moving to Kawasaki and has added Lucas de Carolis to its crew of Stéphane Molinier and David Brière.

In Superstock, the field looks pretty open. 2012 FIM World Cup winners Penz13.com Racing Team (BMW) is counting on Pedro Vallcaneras, Jason Pridmore, Hayato Takada and Steve Mercer to hold off an armada of ambitious rivals. Second in Superstock in 2012, 3D Endurance Moto Center (Kawasaki) is joining the permanent teams with FIM Superstock 1000 rider Romain Lanusse, Stéphane Egea and Fabrice Holub. Starteam PAM Racing (Suzuki), third in Superstock in 2012, have more in their sights in 2013 with Sébastien Prulhière, Axel Maurin and Kevin Longearet.

After a great 2012 season, Atomic MotoSport (Suzuki) is also pursuing the FIM World Cup with Cédric Tangre, Frédéric Jond and Robin Camus. After winning the FIM Endurance World Cup in 2011, Team Motors Events April Moto (Suzuki) is looking to make a comeback with Grégory Fastré, Michael Savary, Claude Lucas and Clément Chevrier. DG Sport Herock (Yamaha) is also fielding a handy trio made up of Didier Van Keymeulen, Raymond Schouten and Lucas Mahias.

At the Bol d’Or, these permanent teams will also be up against a Junior Team LMS Suzuki determined to slough off its ill-starred 2012 season. Baptiste Guittet, Etienne Masson, Nans Chevaux and Nicolas Pouhair will be in contention for a Superstock win at the Bol d’Or and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The first practice sessions will take place on Thursday 18 April on the Magny-Cours circuit in Nièvre, France. The start of the 77th Bol d’Or will be at 15.00 hours on 20 April.

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